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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Afghanistan

Afghanistan ranks 20th of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a highly seismically active country. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

3,472
M4+ events (since 2005)
97
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.8
Strongest
~165
M4+ per year

The verdict

Afghanistan has logged 3,472 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 97 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.8.

#20
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
3,472
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M7.8
strongest earthquake on record
97
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.4 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Afghanistan by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Afghanistan's most active year for major earthquakes was 2023 (6 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2025

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 97 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Afghanistan.

M7.0-7.9

13

13.4%

M6.0-6.9

84

86.6%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 97 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 152 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

23

23.7% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

74

76.3% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Afghanistan

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
7.8 71 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan 240.0 km
7.7 52 km ESE of Farkhār, Afghanistan 200.0 km
7.5 Hindu Kush region, Afghanistan 231.0 km
7.5 35 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan 228.7 km
7.4 51 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 207.8 km
7.4 51 km SW of Jurm, Afghanistan 225.6 km
7.4 75 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 98.7 km
7.4 55 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 214.5 km
7.4 50 km SSW of Ashkāsham, Afghanistan 100.0 km
7.3 42 km NNW of B?my?n, Afghanistan 25.0 km

Significant earthquake record (97 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Afghanistan since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
6.1 43 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 199.0 km
6.2 30 km SE of Mazār-e Sharīf, Afghanistan 28.0 km
6.0 35 km WSW of Asadābād, Afghanistan 8.0 km
6.4 45 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan 204.0 km
6.3 34 km NNW of Herāt, Afghanistan 9.0 km
6.3 24 km NNW of Herāt, Afghanistan 8.0 km
6.3 25 km NNE of Zindah Jān, Afghanistan 8.0 km
6.3 32 km NNE of Zindah Jān, Afghanistan 14.0 km
6.5 40 km SSE of Jurm, Afghanistan 192.0 km
6.0 44 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 203.0 km
6.0 55 km SW of Kh?st, Afghanistan 4.0 km
6.1 49 km SW of Jurm, Afghanistan 212.0 km
6.2 37 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 193.7 km
6.6 42 km WSW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 212.0 km
6.3 42 km WSW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 206.0 km
7.5 Hindu Kush region, Afghanistan 231.0 km
6.3 47 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 220.1 km
6.2 53 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 210.0 km
6.2 39 km SSE of Jurm, Afghanistan 185.9 km
6.6 50 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 204.8 km
6.0 35 km SSW of ?uk?mat? Azrah, Afghanistan 10.0 km
6.2 47 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan 222.1 km
6.5 53 km SW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 224.6 km
6.0 46 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 207.0 km
6.1 16 km E of Nahr?n, Afghanistan 8.0 km
7.4 51 km SW of Jurm, Afghanistan 225.6 km
6.3 54 km ESE of Farkh?r, Afghanistan 209.0 km
6.2 77 km NNW of P?r?n, Afghanistan 129.3 km
6.1 32 km S of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 106.5 km
6.2 49 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 202.5 km
6.3 65 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 141.4 km
6.3 66 km NNW of P?r?n, Afghanistan 107.7 km
6.0 51 km ESE of Farkh?r, Afghanistan 206.9 km
6.5 31 km SW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 228.4 km
6.0 27 km WNW of ?uk?mat? Azrah, Afghanistan 33.0 km
6.6 24 km E of Rust?q, Afghanistan 33.0 km
6.4 46 km WSW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 235.6 km
6.3 53 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 207.0 km
6.5 51 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 196.0 km
6.3 49 km ESE of Farkh?r, Afghanistan 222.7 km
6.0 57 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 238.7 km
6.3 29 km S of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 112.6 km
6.0 48 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 194.5 km
7.0 53 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 214.5 km
6.4 48 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan 204.2 km
6.7 53 km SW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 212.9 km
6.9 77 km NW of P?r?n, Afghanistan 142.4 km
6.4 50 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 216.8 km
6.0 77 km SE of Farkh?r, Afghanistan 113.1 km
6.3 56 km E of Khand?d, Afghanistan 33.0 km
6.2 62 km E of Khand?d, Afghanistan 12.2 km
6.3 42 km ENE of Jurm, Afghanistan 109.9 km
6.0 74 km N of P?r?n, Afghanistan 95.1 km
6.3 48 km SSE of Jurm, Afghanistan 195.0 km
6.1 26 km SSW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 95.4 km
6.1 81 km SE of ‘Al?qahd?r? D?sh?, Afghanistan 164.5 km
6.2 45 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan 202.1 km
6.4 76 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 120.1 km
7.4 75 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 98.7 km
6.4 48 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 207.6 km
6.1 21 km N of Jal?l?b?d, Afghanistan 33.0 km
6.1 55 km SW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 171.8 km
7.4 55 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 214.5 km
6.2 45 km WSW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 208.8 km
6.6 14 km NW of Nahr?n, Afghanistan 36.0 km
6.3 54 km SW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 228.7 km
6.1 26 km ESE of Farkh?r, Afghanistan 229.0 km
6.1 43 km SSE of Jurm, Afghanistan 190.0 km
6.5 57 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 211.0 km
6.2 36 km SSW of Farkhār, Afghanistan 23.5 km
6.2 51 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 212.6 km
6.2 Hindu Kush region, Afghanistan 205.6 km
6.6 40 km SW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 215.6 km
7.4 51 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 207.8 km
6.6 43 km SSE of Jurm, Afghanistan 195.5 km
6.3 31 km NNW of Nahr?n, Afghanistan 35.0 km
6.7 51 km ESE of Farkh?r, Afghanistan 216.2 km
6.1 43 km SW of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan 211.8 km
6.5 19 km S of ?uk?mat? Azrah, Afghanistan 10.0 km
7.3 42 km NNW of B?my?n, Afghanistan 25.0 km
7.5 35 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan 228.7 km
6.4 19 km WSW of A?bak, Afghanistan 35.0 km
6.0 6 km NNW of Fayzabad, Afghanistan 20.0 km
7.8 71 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan 240.0 km
6.3 76 km NE of Bāzārak, Afghanistan 205.0 km
6.5 29 km E of Jurm, Afghanistan 205.0 km
6.3 58 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan 205.0 km
6.8 78 km NNW of Pārūn, Afghanistan 205.0 km
7.4 50 km SSW of Ashkāsham, Afghanistan 100.0 km
6.4 21 km WNW of Balkh, Afghanistan 35.0 km
6.8 40 km SW of Qarchī Gak, Afghanistan 35.0 km
7.7 52 km ESE of Farkhār, Afghanistan 200.0 km
7.0 74 km NE of Bāzārak, Afghanistan 220.0 km
6.6 29 km SE of Jurm, Afghanistan 190.0 km
6.5 57 km NNW of Pārūn, Afghanistan 190.0 km
6.8 42 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan 225.0 km
7.2 Hindu Kush region, Afghanistan 200.0 km

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Afghanistan.

Timor Leste

3,408 M4+ events · strongest M7.3

M7.3

Iran

3,544 M4+ events · strongest M7.7

M7.7

India

3,244 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Argentina

4,371 M4+ events · strongest M7.0

M7.0

Taiwan

2,529 M4+ events · strongest M7.4

M7.4

Fiji

4,493 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Reading earthquake data

Interpreting magnitude, depth and frequency.

Earthquake preparedness

Before, during and after a quake.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Afghanistan? ▼
The USGS catalog records 3,472 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Afghanistan since 2005, an average of about 165 per year. Separately, 97 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Afghanistan? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Afghanistan measured magnitude 7.8. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.4 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Afghanistan? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Afghanistan ranks 20th of 215 countries worldwide - a highly seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 2023, with 6.
How deep are earthquakes in Afghanistan? ▼
Across the 97 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 152 km. 24% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.
Where does this data come from? ▼
Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About this data

Every figure on this page is computed directly from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), the public-domain record maintained by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Two series are combined: a worldwide catalog of magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward, the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere, and a historical series of significant magnitude-6.0-and-above events stretching back to 1900. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step represents roughly thirty-two times more energy released. Depth is measured in kilometres from the surface, and shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. Counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred, and recent events can be revised as seismologists refine the catalog.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

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