The 6.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the Eastern region of Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan, with devastating effectsit happened in an area where these events are far from rare. This due to the geological context of Afghanistan, which is located on the edge of the Eurasian plaquewhose collision with the Indian plaque originated the Himalayana chain. The collision generated deep faults which also cross Afghanistan and cause frequent and strong earthquakes. The epicenter are found often in the north-east of the country, one of the most dangerous areas of the earth from a seismic point of view. From the beginning of the last century, there have been about Afghanistan in Afghanistan 100 earthquakes who have caused important damage. Among the most violent there is the earthquake of October 2023 near Herat (magnitude 6.3), which caused about 1500 victims.
The most destructive earthquakes in Afghanistan
From 1900 to today, about Afghanistan have been registered 100 earthquakes which caused significant damage. Only in the last 30 years the Victims were over 10,000. Among the most violent and destructive we remember, from the most recent to the least:
- The earthquake ofOctober 2023Of magnitude 6.3with an epicenter near Herat, in Western Afghanistan; the victims were about 1500while the injured about 2400;
- The earthquake of June 2022Of magnitude 6.0with an epicenter at Khost, in the south-east of Afghanistan; the victims were about 1160the injured about 3000 and the buildings damaged 10,000;
- The earthquake ofOctober 2015Of magnitude 7.5which took place in the north-east of the country in the province of Badakhhan, below the Hindu Kush mountain range; The event caused about 400 dead and 2500 injured;
- The earthquake of March 2002Of magnitude 6.1with an epicenter under the Hindu Kush in the north-east of the country, which caused about 2000 victims and 3000 injured;
- The earthquake of February 1998Of magnitude 5.9with the epicenter in Takhar, in the north-east of Afghanistan; the victims were over 2300 and a thousand wounded.
In general, it can be said that in Afghanistan they are not only the earthquakes of very high magnitude to cause huge damage. Sometimes minor magnitude sismi are more destructive than the strongest ones, if they have superficial hypocenter and affect a particularly inhabited area.
The geological context of Afghanistan
Afghanistan is a country occupied for the most part by mountains engraved by deep valleys and even over 4000 m high, in particular from the mountain range of theHindu Kush. It is found in the Eurasian plaqueat its border with the Indian plaquelocated to the south-east. Along the eastern margin of Afghanistan, the Indian plaque moves north compared to the Eurasian one to one average speed of about 34.4 mm/yearsubjecting the Afghan territory to enormous compressive efforts. The two plates also slide laterally with respect to the other. Afghanistan also suffers from the movements of the Arab plaquemore distant and located south-westbut also bordering the Eurasian plaque. Like the Indian plaque, the Arab one also moves north, to one average speed of about 31 mm/year. There collision between the plates Eurasian, Indian and Araba caused theAlpine-Himalayana orogenesiswhich has lasted for about 60 million years.
The formation of the mountain range was accompanied by enormous deformations and the opening of fault systems with north-south and east-west trend that extend to Afghanistan: the main includes the Chamoan faults (along the border with Pakistan between the Eurasian and Indian plaques), Hari Rud (which crosses the country from east to west), Badakhhan central And Darvaz (both in the north-east of the country). These faults are associated with earthquakes with both deep and superficial hypocenter and Even very high magnitude. Seismicity is particularly high in north-eastern area of the country, under the mountains ofHindu Kush and of the Pamirwhich constitute an extension of the Himalayan chain. This is one of the most dangerous areas of the earth From a seismic point of view. The seismic risk here is very high also due to the demographic growth of the country and the vulnerability of the infrastructures.
