5.6 magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan; tremors felt in Delhi-NCR
What's the story
An earthquake of 5.6 magnitude hit Afghanistan on April 16, 2025. Tremors were felt in parts of India too, including in Delhi-NCR.
As per the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the quake struck at a depth of 121km and was centered 164km east of Baghlan.
EMSC initially estimated the magnitude of the quake at 6.4, but later revised it to 5.6.
User reactions
Social media users report tremors in Delhi-NCR
Social media users reported on X that they felt the tremors in Delhi-NCR.
"Did you feel the earthquake? Because my family isn't believing me—I felt it for a second, it definitely happened," asked one.
"Just felt that there was an earthquake in Delhi. Is it so?" asked another.
However, no major damage or casualties have been immediately reported from either Afghanistan or India.
Seismic activity
Afghanistan's vulnerability to natural disasters
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) alerts that Afghanistan is particularly exposed to natural disasters, including seasonal floods, landslides, and earthquakes.
The recurrent quakes are a serious danger to vulnerable communities already battling decades of conflict and underdevelopment.
The Hindu Kush Mountain range in northeastern Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to seismic activity due to the collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Other quakes
Recent seismic activity in the Philippines
Today's earthquake in Afghanistan comes hot on the heels of another quake of similar magnitude that hit off the southern Philippines.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said this 5.6-magnitude quake struck at a depth of 30km off Mindanao's coast.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said its epicenter was about 43km southwest of Maitum town in a mountainous and sparsely populated region.
Local authorities have confirmed no major damage from this quake either.