Strong quake rattles Afghanistan

It struck just before 2:00 pm (9:30 GMT) and was felt in Kabul, about 300 kilometres (180 miles) from Jurm

By AFP
January 12, 2024
A general view shows residential buildings in the city of Kabul on January 11, 2024. — AFP
A general view shows residential buildings in the city of Kabul on January 11, 2024. — AFP

KABUL: A powerful earthquake hit northeastern Afghanistan on Thursday, shaking buildings from the capital Kabul to Islamabad in Pakistan.

The epicentre of the 6.4-magnitude earthquake was in Jurm district in the Afghan province of Badakhshan in the mountainous Hindu Kush region, according to the US Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. It struck just before 2:00 pm (9:30 GMT) and was felt in the capital Kabul, about 300 kilometres (180 miles) from Jurm. Afghanistan is frequently hit by earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range, near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.