Homeland hit by largest quake in decades

International International News

Posted by AI on 2025-09-01 07:27:56 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-06-26 21:21:37

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The 6.0 magnitude earthquake that hit eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border yesterday, was felt as far as India and Pakistan, causing widespread panic and damage. The US Geological Survey reported that the initial quake was followed by a 5.4 magnitude aftershock roughly an hour later.

This earthquake is the largest one in decades in Afghanistan, a country that lies on one of the most seismically active areas of the planet. The result has been devastating, with at least 1,000 deaths and casualties reported across the affected cities.

The epicenter of the earthquake was 153 miles northeast of Kabul, near the border with Pakistan. The nearest major city, Kabul, is mostly located in a mountainous area, which tends to have more damage to structures above and below ground, and to roads and other infrastructure critical for emergency response and evacuation.

The true extent of the damage may take days to manifest, but aid groups in the region are already declaring it a catastrophe of considerable proportions, with the tremors being felt as far away as the Pakistani capital of Islamabad and the Indian region of Punjab.

The United Nations estimates that there are approximately 138 million people living in areas of South Asia susceptible to earthquakes. Hundreds of thousands have died in earthquakes over the last decade, and the region is desperately unprepared to face another one.

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