Why in news?
Recently, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, killing at least 10 people and injuring around 260.
The tremor follows a series of deadly quakes in August that claimed over 2,200 lives, highlighting the region’s continuing vulnerability to seismic disasters.
What’s in Today’s Article?
- Geographical Location of Mazar-e-Sharif
- Afghanistan’s High Earthquake Risk
- Afghanistan Is Prone to Earthquakes
- Building Earthquake Resilience in Afghanistan
Geographical Location of Mazar-e-Sharif
- Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, lies in northern Afghanistan, close to the borders with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
- It sits at an elevation of about 380 metres (1,250 ft) in a broad alluvial plain of the Amu Darya basin, making it a key urban and economic centre in the region.
- Geophysical Characteristics
- Mazar-e-Sharif lies near the boundary zone between the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, an area of intense crustal compression caused by the northward movement of the Indian plate.
- This collision zone creates active fault lines running through northern and northeastern Afghanistan, where seismic stress accumulates and releases through frequent earthquakes.
- The recent quake near Mazar-e-Sharif is linked to shallow crustal faults within this convergence zone, where compressional forces generate strike-slip and thrust faulting — common mechanisms for strong tremors in the region.
Afghanistan’s High Earthquake Risk
- Afghanistan, surrounded by rugged mountain ranges, is highly prone to earthquakes, which are its deadliest natural disasters.
- On average, around 560 people die each year, and annual damages exceed $80 million.
- Since 1990, the country has experienced over 355 earthquakes with magnitudes above 5.0, underscoring its extreme seismic vulnerability.
- Afghanistan’s Deadliest Earthquakes
- Afghanistan has experienced around 100 damaging earthquakes since 1900, making it one of the world’s most seismically active countries.
- In 2022, a magnitude 6 quake killed about 1,000 people.
- In 2023, multiple quakes in one month claimed another 1,000 lives and flattened entire villages.
- A 7.5-magnitude earthquake in 2015 killed 399 people across Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
- The 1998 quakes were the deadliest, with two major shocks just three months apart — the first killing 2,300 and the second 4,700, causing massive destruction across the north.
- These events highlight Afghanistan’s chronic seismic vulnerability and the repeated human toll from major tremors.
Afghanistan Is Prone to Earthquakes
- Afghanistan lies at the junction of three major tectonic plates — the Eurasian, Indian, and Arabian plates.
- The northward movement of the Indian plate and its collision with the Eurasian plate, combined with pressure from the Arabian plate in the south, makes this one of the most seismically active regions on Earth.
- The constant pushing, twisting, and grinding of these plates generates frequent and powerful earthquakes across the region.
- Most High-Risk Areas
- The eastern and northeastern regions of Afghanistan — along borders with Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan — are most vulnerable to major tremors.
- Kabul, the capital, faces the highest financial losses, averaging about $17 million annually from earthquake damage.
- Added Threat of Landslides
- In Afghanistan’s mountainous terrain, earthquakes often trigger landslides, which can bury entire villages, block vital roads, and delay rescue and relief operations, worsening the human and economic toll.
Building Earthquake Resilience in Afghanistan
- Experts recommend that new buildings follow earthquake-resistant designs and existing structures be retrofitted to prevent collapses during tremors.
- They also stress the need for better monitoring and early warning systems to issue timely alerts.
- There is need for mapping fault lines through geospatial and remote sensing technologies to help relocate vulnerable populations and improve disaster preparedness.
