6.6 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Pakistan-Afghanistan Border

A 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan on Sunday, April 22. Reports indicate that tremors were felt across many areas of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India. According to Reuters, there have been no reports of casualties or damages from the earthquake yet. The epicenter of the quake was reported in the mountainous Chitral region in northwestern Pakistan, close to the Afghan border, with a depth of 210 meters. It is reported that the shaking caused residents in Kabul, Islamabad, and even Lahore, which is 630 kilometers away from the epicenter, to rush into the streets. Eyewitnesses stated that in New Delhi, the capital of India, the shaking of tall buildings prompted workers to leave these buildings and come out into the streets; the metro lines in New Delhi were also temporarily suspended. The Hindu Kush mountain range, particularly in the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan, is known to be one of the most seismically active regions in the world. On October 26, 2015, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the same border areas, resulting in over 300 deaths and thousands of homes destroyed. About a decade prior, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit another part of northern Pakistan, claiming approximately 75,000 lives.