Coordinates: 36.523°N 70.

979°E

2023 Badakhshan earthquake

On 21 March 2023, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Badakhshan
Province, Afghanistan, with an intermediate depth of approximately
2023 Badakhshan earthquake
187 km (116 mi).[1] The epicenter of the earthquake was 40  km (25  mi)
south-southeast of Jurm.[1]

Tectonic setting
The Himalayas, partially formed by the collision of tectonic plates, are
prone to devastating earthquakes. Afghanistan is situated near the
southern extent of the Eurasian Plate.[2] Most of these earthquakes are [Interactive fullscreen map]
associated with reverse, thrust, or strike-slip faulting. Large earthquakes
with magnitudes of up to 7.5 have occurred in the region with an average UTC time 2023-03-21 16:47:23
recurrence interval of 15 years. These earthquakes correspond to reverse
USGS-ANSS ComCat (https://earthquak
faulting at a depth of 170 to 280  km (110 to 170  mi).[3] These
e.usgs.gov/earthquakes/ev
earthquakes, rather than occurring at a plate boundary, are sourced from
within the Indian Plate as it dives beneath the Hindu Kush. As the tectonic entpage/us7000jln7)
slab of the Indian Plate descends at a near-vertical angle into the mantle, it Local date 2023-03-21
stretches and begins to "tear", eventually leading to a slab detachment.[4] Local time 21:17 AFT (UTC+04:30)

This action results in stress accommodation along faults that produces 21:47 PKT (UTC+05:00)
earthquakes when ruptured. Smaller shallow focus earthquakes are also
observed in the region, particularly associated with north–south trending Magnitude 6.5 Mw
zones of right lateral strike-slip, such as the Chaman Fault, with an Depth 187.6 km (116.6 mi)
increasing degree of shortening to the north, together accommodating the
Epicenter 36.523°N 70.979°E
highly oblique convergence between the Indian and the Eurasian Plates.[5]
Areas Afghanistan, Pakistan,
affected India, Tajikistan
Earthquake
Max. V (Moderate)
intensity
The United States Geological Survey reported a magnitude of Mww 6.5,[1]
while the Pakistan Meteorological Department said the earthquake had a Landslides Yes
magnitude of 6.8.[6] The earthquake was initially reported inaccurately as Casualties 21 dead, 383 injured[a]
Mw 7.7.[7] Shaking was felt over an area 1,000  km (620  mi) wide by
approximately 285 million people in Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and
Turkmenistan, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.[8]

Impact

Afghanistan

At least 10 people were killed,[9] 80 others were injured,[10] and more than 665 houses were damaged or destroyed in
nine provinces of Afghanistan.[11][12] Two people died, 25 others were injured and 22 houses collapsed in Laghman
Province.[13][14][15] In Takhar Province, 20 buildings collapsed, one person died and five others were injured.[16][17] In
Panjshir Province, three buildings were seriously damaged, and three people were injured.[17] In Badakhshan Province,
where the epicenter of the earthquake was located, one person was injured, 70 buildings were destroyed and 50 were
damaged.[18][19] In Kabul Province, one person died and one house was destroyed.[11] Five houses collapsed in
Nangarhar Province.[15]

Pakistan