Shocked is the planet by the big earthquake 6 Richter at Afghanistan On Sunday night (31/8/2025) with at least 800 dead and over 3,000 injured, with the numbers expected to increase. The vibration occurred at a small focal depth, just 8 km, which made it even more devastating.
Nangarhar and Kunar provinces in Afghanistan were more affected by the deadly earthquake, while seismic vibrations were felt in neighboring areas, as well as in Kabul and in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad.
It is estimated that up to 12,000 people have been hit by damaged buildings and damage to basic infrastructure. The full size of the disaster and tragedy still remains unknownas mountainous morphology makes it difficult to access rescue workshops to remote villages.
THE Dr. Brian Baptie, Seismologist at the British Geological Instituteexplains why this area It releases 15% of world seismic energy and remains one of the most dangerous on the planet.
As he points out, “with India moving towards Eurasia at a speed of about 45 mm per year, this conflict zone is one of the most seismic active areas on the planet – it is responsible for about 15% of the total seismic energy released every year worldwide.”
“The power that led to this last earthquake is the same that led to the creation of the Himalayas, Karakorum and the Tibetan Plateau – the conflict of the plates of India and Eurasia,” he observes.
With India moving to Eurasia at a rate of about 45mm a year, the conflict zone is one In the most earthquake -prone areas of the Earth – It is responsible for about 15% of the total seismic energy released worldwide each year.
This is, as he notes, an area with a very high seismic danger where seismic activity is distributed to complex rifts extending to a wide geographical area.
Dozens of catastrophic earthquakes in recent decades
Due to its geographical location, Afghanistan has a long history of destructive earthquakes.
“Many of the biggest earthquakes have occurred in the Hindu Kush area, northeast of Afghanistan, where 12 earthquakes have been recorded over 7 Richter since 1900,” the seismologist said.
And other areas, such as east and southeast, are also often affected by strong seismic vibrations. The intensity of this activity, coupled with the possibility of multiple natural risks and constructions that often do not withstand major blows, can lead to significant loss of human lives.
Typical examples are the 6 Richter earthquake in Southeast Afghanistan in 2022, which killed over 1,000 people and caused landslides. The series of four earthquakes of 6.3 Richter in Herat province in 2023, with about 1,500 victims as well as the 7.6 Richter earthquake in 2005 near Mouzafarabad in Kashmir, which claimed the lives of at least 76,000 people.
Why ‘shallow’ earthquakes are more devastating
The power of an earthquake and the depth in which it is manifested are the two main geological factors that determine the magnitude of the damage.
This earthquake occurred at a depth of just 8 kilometers – too small for an earthquake event.
To be described as “shallow”, an earthquake must occur less than 70 kilometers.
These earthquakes They are more common, but also more dangerous.
Seismic vibrations start from the focus and travel to the surface. The greater the distance, the more energy is lost along the way. On the contrary, when the earthquake occurs in a small depth, the waves reach more power on the surface, causing more jerking and collapsing of buildings.
The “shallow” earthquakes are particularly common in Afghanistan, especially at the foot of the Himalayas, where tectonic plates slip next to each other.
The disaster overnight
The vibration occurred during the night, when most residents were in their homes and sleeping. Fears express that many people remain trapped under the ruins.
Deeply saddened by the news of the earthquake in Afghanistan. My heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. #AfghanistanEarthquake #Afghanistan #Afghanistan #earthquake #Pakistan #Pakistani #IndonesiaGelap pic.twitter.com/wNsKc1xZ2K
– Aamir (Fayaz Mead) (@aamy113) September 1, 2025
Afghanistan is not unknown in earthquakes. In 2023, a series of vibrations in Herat province claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people, while in 2022 in Pactika province another earthquake caused over 1,000 deaths. In both cases, the number of victims increased dramatically as soon as rescue workshops were able to reach the isolated areas.
The Jalalabad Hospital, the largest near the focus, was already full before, serving over a thousand patients a day. He is now called upon to deal with hundreds of still injured, which makes it almost impossible to manage the crisis.