Morning tremor continues alarming trend of frequent seismic activity.
The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) confirmed that a fresh tremor measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale jolted Afghanistan on Monday morning. Seismologists pinpointed the event's timing to 6:10 am, noting that the seismic activity originated at a relatively shallow depth of 22 kilometers below the earth's surface.
According to the official data, the epicenter was identified at latitude 36.71 degrees north and longitude 71.58 degrees east. Fortunately, initial reports from the ground have not indicated any immediate loss of life or significant structural damage, providing a moment of relief for the residents.
However, this latest event is part of a worrying pattern of instability in the region. Afghanistan has been rattled by a sequence of tremors over the last week alone. Just days ago, on December 10, the NCS recorded a slightly stronger 4.3 magnitude quake, although that event occurred at a much safer, deeper level of 150 kilometers. Prior to that, December 9 witnessed a double blow with two separate quakes—one measuring 3.8 and another, more dangerous shallow tremor, hitting 4.5 on the scale. Experts consistently warn that shallow quakes pose a higher risk to infrastructure because the seismic energy reaches the surface with greater intensity.
The geological context of these events is critical. The Hindu Kush mountain range is notoriously unstable because it sits directly atop the collision zone where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. This makes the nation highly susceptible to frequent fault line movement.
The memory of the devastating November 4 earthquake remains fresh in the minds of the local population. That powerful 6.3 magnitude disaster resulted in at least 27 fatalities, hundreds of injuries, and damage to historic sites, highlighting the nation's fragility. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has reiterated that years of conflict and lack of infrastructure development have left Afghan communities with very little resilience against these recurring natural disasters.
