5.9 magnitude earthquake rattles Afghanistan, claims 8 lives

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake hit the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan on Friday (April 3), claiming at least eight lives in the capital, Kabul.

The tremor struck just before iftar, causing a house to collapse and leaving one child critically injured, according to the country's National Disaster Management Authority.

The German Research Centre for Geosciences reported the quake’s magnitude at 5.9, with its epicenter 177 kilometers below the surface.

Pakistan’s National Seismological Centre estimated a depth of 190 kilometers. The epicenter was located in a remote area northeast of Kabul in the Hindu Kush mountains.

The quake, felt at 9:13pm (local time), also rattled parts of Pakistan and India.

In Pakistan, cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar experienced tremors, though no major damage or casualties were reported. The tremor was also felt in India’s capital, New Delhi.

Officials reported the rescue operations are underway, and said that the death toll could rise.

Afghanistan lies in a seismically active zone, with government data indicating that natural disasters claim an average of 560 lives annually.