One Dead and Several Injured Following Strong Earthquake in Northern Afghanistan

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan on Wednesday, February 1, causing people in Kabul to rush into the streets. The tremor was also felt in Islamabad, Pakistan, and New Delhi, India. According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred on Wednesday morning near the northern border of Afghanistan with Tajikistan, in the Hindu Kush mountains, at a depth of 191 kilometers. Earlier this year, a 5.4 magnitude earthquake had also hit this remote area in northeastern Afghanistan. No reports have yet been released regarding the potential casualties from this earthquake. The Associated Press reports that 'three people' were injured in Badakhshan province as a result of the quake. However, Agence France-Presse, citing a local official in Pakistan, reported the death of an infant and injuries to nine other family members due to the collapse of a roof in Balochistan province. In neighboring Pakistan, residents in Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar quickly evacuated their homes, offices, and schools. The epicenter of the earthquake was near 'Jurm' in Afghanistan, close to the border with Tajikistan, where a 7.5 magnitude earthquake occurred in November 2015, resulting in over 380 deaths. Afghanistan is also one of the earthquake-prone regions of the world, particularly the Hindu Kush mountains, which have experienced many earthquakes. In April 2016, a 6.6 magnitude earthquake shook the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with tremors felt across many regions of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India. In this context, a 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook northeastern Afghanistan, highlighting the vulnerability of countries worldwide to natural disasters.