Why do so many devastating earthquakes happen in Afghanistan?published at 02:20 British Summer Time
Afghanistan is very prone to earthquakes because it is located on top of a number of fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
In 2022, at least 1,000 people were killed and another 3,000 were injured when a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan – the deadliest such disaster in the country in two decades.
While that earthquake had been of moderate magnitude, it was so destructive because it was shallow – happening at just 10km (6 miles) under the earth’s surface.
The depth of the quake on Sunday was even shallower, at 8km (5 miles). Hundreds are feared dead or wounded.
Afghanistan’s residents are also particularly vulnerable to earthquakes because the buildings there, built with timber, mud brick, or weak concrete, tend not to be earthquake resistant.
A lot of damage from earthquakes in Afghanistan’s mountains also comes from the landslides they cause, which can flatten houses and block rivers. Landslides also impact roads, which make it difficult for rescue workers and equipment to reach remote locations.
