The US Geological Survey reported that the epicenter was situated 40 kilometers south-southeast of Jurm, in Afghanistan’s mountainous Hindukush area, bordering Pakistan and Tajikistan. The quake struck 188 kilometers deep beneath the Earth’s floor, making it felt over a large space. In keeping with an Related Press report, 11 individuals have died in Afghanistan and Pakistan on account of the quake.

However why Afghanistan and Pakistan are vulnerable to earthquakes?  

Consultants have stated that Afghanistan is especially weak to earthquakes attributable to its location within the Alpide belt, which is the second most seismically energetic area on the planet after the Pacific Ring of Fireplace. The Alpide belt runs about 15,000 kilometers from the southern a part of Eurasia by means of the Himalayas and into the Atlantic, together with the Hindu Kush, the Alps, Atlas Mountains, and the Caucasus Mountains. The boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates exists close to Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan.

Furthermore, poor infrastructure in Afghanistan exacerbates the influence of earthquakes. Many buildings within the nation will not be earthquake-resistant, and they’re usually manufactured from timber, adobe, or weak concrete, Dr Brian Baptie, seismologist with the British Geological Survey, commented whereas chatting with BBC. 

“It isn’t the geology — it’s simply the kind of building. There aren’t any quake-proof buildings. It’s principally river stones held along with some kind of mortar — and mortar behaves awfully in earthquakes,” admitted seismologist Lucy Jones, a visiting affiliate researcher on the California Institute of Know-how. 

Along with the injury brought on by earthquakes, landslides also can flatten homes in mountain villages and trigger widespread flooding in Afghanistan. This hinders rescue operations by authorities, making the nation’s vulnerability to earthquakes much more difficult. 

Why North India is vulnerable to earthquakes? 

The Himalayas, situated in India’s northern area, are the youngest mountains and have been fashioned because of the motion of the Indian plate in the direction of the Nepalese plate. This area is vulnerable to frequent earthquakes attributable to its location on the boundary of two huge tectonic plates. 

The federal government of India has recognized practically 59% of the nation’s land mass as vulnerable to earthquakes of various intensities. The nation is split into 4 seismic zones, with Zone V being essentially the most energetic and Zone II being the least energetic. 

Eight states and Union Territories, together with the Delhi-NCR area, fall below Zone V, making them extremely inclined to earthquakes of the best depth. 

Why did Tuesday’s tremors really feel so lengthy in Delhi?

The explanation why an earthquake in Afghanistan was felt in north India is because of the depth of the fault, J L Gautam, head of workplace and Scientist at Nationwide Middle for Seismology, advised Hindustan Instances.

The earthquake’s epicenter was over 150 km beneath the earth’s floor, inflicting major waves to be felt first, adopted by secondary waves. Shock waves journey farther and last more when the depth of the quake is bigger, however their depth is decrease.

Therefore, the earthquake in Afghanistan, with its epicenter 187.6 km beneath the earth’s floor, may very well be felt throughout a bigger distance with much less depth.