5.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Afghanistan; Tremors Felt in J&K, Delhi-NCR
A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan on Saturday afternoon, with tremors felt across northern India and Pakistan, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and parts of the Delhi-NCR region.
The earthquake, which occurred at a depth of 130 km, was registered by the National Center for Seismology at 12:17 PM IST. The epicenter was located at 36.10°N latitude and 71.20°E longitude, near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).
Local reports indicated that the tremors were also felt in Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, and various regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. In Srinagar, one local described feeling the shaking as he sat in his office.
While no immediate reports of damage have emerged, the earthquake’s depth and magnitude prompted authorities to monitor the situation closely.
Earlier in the day, a smaller earthquake of magnitude 2.9 struck Assam’s Nagaon district at 7:38 AM, with a depth of 10 km.
In February, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake shook Delhi, raising concerns about the city’s vulnerability to seismic activity. Delhi, situated in seismic zone 4, is considered a high-risk area for earthquake damage due to weak construction practices, outdated infrastructure, and proximity to fault lines such as the Mathura and Sohna Faults. Experts highlight the importance of strengthening preparedness and improving building resilience to mitigate potential risks from future tremors.
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