Why in the News?

A powerful earthquake in Afghanistan killed at least 800 people and injured thousands, highlighting the country’s extreme vulnerability to seismic hazards.

Why is Afghanistan so prone to Earthquakes?

• Geological Setting: Afghanistan lies in the Hindu Kush mountains, part of the Alpide Belt, the world’s second most seismically active belt after the Circum-Pacific.
• Tectonic Origin: The Alpide Belt was formed by the closure of the Tethys Ocean, following the collision of the African, Arabian, and Indian Plates with the Eurasian Plate.
• Ongoing Collision: The Indian Plate’s continued movement into the Eurasian Plate builds mountain ranges (Himalayas, Hindu Kush) and drives strong seismic activity.
• Seismic Characteristics: Afghanistan experiences both shallow-focus earthquakes (0–70 km depth) causing major destruction and rare deep-focus quakes (up to 200 km) unique to the Hindu Kush.
• Fault Structures: Major faults occur where the Indian and Eurasian Plates meet, making Afghanistan heavily fractured and highly vulnerable to tremors.

Where do Afghanistan’s Earthquakes occur?

• Hindu Kush Region (Northern Afghanistan): Produces both shallow and deep-focus quakes due to the Indian Plate’s lithosphere sinking into the mantle, making it one of the world’s most unique seismic zones.
• Sulaiman Range (SE Afghanistan & Western Pakistan): Known for shallow, thrust fault quakes, often destructive at the surface.
• Main Pamir Thrust Zone: Another hotspot for shallow, surface-level earthquakes that cause high damage.
• Overall Vulnerability: These regions together make Afghanistan one of the most earthquake-prone countries, with repeated deadly events since the 1990s.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now