6.0 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Afghanistan Near Pakistan

An intense magnitude 6.0 earthquake rocked the southeast region of Afghanistan, close to the frontier with Pakistan, late on Sunday as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The seismic event originated 22 miles to the north of Bāsawul, Afghanistan, reaching a sub-surface depth of approximately 6.2 miles. It was recorded at 11:47 p.m. local time.

According to Naqibullah Rahimi, a spokesperson for the Nangarhar Public Health Department, about 15 individuals sustained injuries and were subsequently hospitalized for medical care.

A subsequent tremor registered at magnitude 4.5 hit the identical region roughly 20 minutes after the initial quake, with its epicenter located at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Sitting at the crossroads of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, Afghanistan is susceptible to frequent seismic activities.

A previous earthquake of magnitude 6.3, along with vigorous aftershocks, proved catastrophic. Reports from the Taliban administration indicated that at least 4,000 people died, although the United Nations cited roughly 1,500 fatalities, marking it as one of the deadliest natural calamities in Afghanistan's contemporary history.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) noted that more than 90% of the casualties were children.

In a different incident, an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale affected eastern Afghanistan, leading to over 1,000 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries.