A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck northeastern Afghanistan on Saturday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), causing widespread shaking across multiple provinces and affecting neighboring Pakistan. The USGS reported the quake’s epicenter at a depth of approximately 208 kilometers (129 miles).

The tremor was strongly felt in the capital, Kabul, where buildings shook and at least one internal wall reportedly developed a large crack. Journalists in various provinces including Balkh, Badakhshan, Nangarhar, and Khost also reported experiencing the shaking. The earthquake’s effects extended as far as the Pakistani capital Islamabad.

No immediate information on casualties or structural damage was released. Earthquakes are frequent in Afghanistan, particularly along the Hindu Kush mountain range, which lies near the boundary of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.

This recent event follows a series of significant earthquakes in the region over the past few years. In April, a 5.8-magnitude quake in Badakhshan province resulted in 12 fatalities. In August 2025, a shallower 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, destroying several mountainside villages and killing more than 2,200 people. Additionally, a 6.3-magnitude tremor in northern Afghanistan in the same period caused at least 27 deaths. Other deadly quakes have also struck western Herat near the Iranian border in 2023 and eastern Nangarhar in 2022, collectively resulting in hundreds of deaths and extensive damage to homes.

Afghanistan’s vulnerability to seismic activity is exacerbated by the poor construction quality of many homes and infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. Decades of conflict and limited resources have undermined efforts to build earthquake-resistant structures, leaving many communities at risk during such natural disasters.