Afghanistan-Pakistan: A Timeline of Recent Deadly Earthquakes

The powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake that occurred on November 3 near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif once again highlighted the seismic vulnerability of the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. This disaster came just months after an earthquake and powerful aftershocks in late August claimed the lives of more than 2,200 people.

The region, located at the junction of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, has repeatedly faced devastating earthquakes in recent years.

2025 became a disastrous year for Afghanistan. Around midnight on August 31, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake occurred in the country's southeast, and the strong aftershocks that followed led to the deaths of more than 2,200 people and injured thousands. In the same year, a series of moderate-intensity earthquakes were also recorded in Pakistan and the Hindu Kush mountain region.

Seismic activity was also high in 2024. In January and October, earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.3 and 5.5, respectively, were recorded in the Hindu Kush region. Several tremors with magnitudes from 5.5 to 5.8 also occurred in Pakistan and northwest Kashmir.

2023 was remembered for several devastating earthquakes in Afghanistan. A series of tremors in October claimed the lives of about 1,000 people. In March, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in the north of the country killed at least 13 people.

In 2022, Afghanistan again suffered great losses. A 6.0 magnitude earthquake in June resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 people. In September, two earthquakes killed at least eight people.

On October 7, 2021, an earthquake in southern Pakistan killed at least 15 people.

These statistics show that the Afghanistan-Pakistan region continues to be one of the most seismogenic zones in the world, where the recurrence of powerful earthquakes is a constant threat to the local population, requiring continuous preparedness and response measures.