Afghanistan’s location near the convergence of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates makes it highly susceptible to earthquakes, particularly in the seismically active Hindu Kush region. The country’s mountainous terrain amplifies the devastation, often destroying homes and complicating rescue efforts. Below is a timeline of the deadliest earthquakes to strike Afghanistan over the past decade, including the recent disaster in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.
August 31, 2025: A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar at midnight (19:30 GMT). At least 612 people were killed (600 in Kunar, 12 in Nangarhar), with over 2,800 injured, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Mufti Abdul Mateen. The quake destroyed several villages, and rescue operations continue, hampered by remote terrain, as reported by Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman.
October 2023: Three earthquakes devastated Herat province in western Afghanistan, marking one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent years. On October 7, a 6.3-magnitude quake struck, followed by another 6.3-magnitude quake on October 11, and a 6.4-magnitude quake on October 15. The British Red Cross Society reported at least 2,445 deaths across these events.
March 21, 2023: A 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Badakhshan province in northeastern Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The disaster claimed at least 13 lives.
September 2022: Two earthquakes, measuring 5.1 and 4.6 in magnitude, struck the neighboring provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar in northeastern Afghanistan, killing at least eight people.
June 22, 2022: A 6.1-magnitude earthquake rocked the eastern provinces of Paktika, Paktia, Khost, and Nangarhar, killing over 1,000 people as numerous homes collapsed.
January 17, 2022: A 5.3-magnitude shallow earthquake struck Qadis district in Badghis province, western Afghanistan, claiming at least 26 lives, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
October 26, 2015: A 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit the Hindu Kush region in northeastern Afghanistan. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reported 117 deaths in Afghanistan, with an additional 272 fatalities in Pakistan, where tremors were also felt, according to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority.
These recurring disasters highlight Afghanistan’s vulnerability to seismic activity and the ongoing challenges in responding to crises in a country grappling with limited resources and humanitarian aid.
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