Earthquake in Afghanistan
Context:
A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan near the city of Mazar-e-Sharif killing at least 20 people and injuring over 500.
This event comes after a quake and strong aftershocks in August killed more than 2,200 people
Following the quake, India reached out to the Taliban regime and sent relief material.
Why is Afghanistan so Prone to Earthquakes?
Afghanistan is located in one of the world's most tectonically active regions
It sits on the edge of the Eurasian tectonic plate
This plate shares a transgression zone with the Indian plate.
This means that the two may converge or brush past each other
The region is also influenced by the Arabian plate to its south
Primary Cause:
The northward movement of the Indian plate and its thrust against the Eurasian plate is usually responsible for Afghanistan's earthquakes
The country experiences frequent tremors.
Earthquakes are the deadliest natural disaster in the country (killing about 560 people on average each year)
At least 355 quakes with a magnitude over 5.0 have hit Afghanistan since 1990
Vulnerable Areas
Eastern and northeastern Afghanistan are especially prone
The danger is exacerbated in Afghanistan's mountainous regions, where earthquakes can trigger landslides.