Fresh tremors: Afghanistan struck by two more earthquakes; fifth in a week

Afghanistan was rocked by two more earthquakes early Saturday with a magnitude of around 4.0 on Richter scale, marking fifth such seismic event in the past week, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS).The first tremor, recorded at 1.26 am IST, measured 4.2 on the Richter scale with a depth of 190 km. The second quake struck just 45 minutes later at 2:11 am IST, registering a magnitude of 4.0 and a depth of 125 km. Both events were located in the northern region of Afghanistan, based on NCS data.On Friday night, another quake measuring 4.6 also shook the region. Earlier in the week, two more quakes of magnitudes 4.7 and 4.3 were reported, making this the fifth seismic jolt since July 17.Afghanistan’s vulnerability to frequent and often destructive earthquakes stems from its location at the convergence of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The Hindu Kush mountain range, in particular, experiences frequent tremors and aftershocks.The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) notes that Afghanistan remains highly prone to natural disasters including earthquakes, landslides, and seasonal floods. These events further strain communities already grappling with decades of conflict and limited infrastructure, making disaster response and recovery particularly challenging.