Since this is a recent Earthquake in Afghanistan as time passes it might be good to click the word button in the next line for more information that will be added over time:
2015 Hindu Kush earthquake
2015 Hindu Kush earthquake
2015 Hindu Kush earthquake
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article documents a current earthquake. Information regarding it may change rapidly as more information becomes available. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information about this earthquake for all areas. Initial news reports may be unreliable. |
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| Date | October 26, 2015 12 Muharram 1437 AH |
|---|---|
| Origin time | 13:39 AFT, 14:09 PKT (09:09 UTC)[1] |
| Magnitude | 7.5 Mw[1] |
| Depth | 212.5 km (132.0 mi)[1] |
| Epicenter | 36.441°N 70.717°ECoordinates: 36.441°N 70.717°E[1] Afghanistan |
| Areas affected | |
| Max. intensity | VI (Strong) |
| Aftershocks | 7 of 4.1+[2] |
| Casualties | 312 deaths and 1,620 injured |
According to the latest reports, more than 312 people have been killed, mostly in Pakistan.[8] Tremors were felt in Pakistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.[9][10][11] The earthquake was also felt in the Indian cities of New Delhi and Indian Administered Kashmir, and in the prefectures of Kashgar, Aksu, Hotan, and Kizilsu in Xinjiang, China while damage was also reported in Afghan capital Kabul.[8][12] The earthquake, measuring 7.5 on the moment magnitude scale, occurred at a depth of 210 km.[13]
The last major earthquake in the same region of similar magnitude (7.6 Mw) was almost exactly ten years ago in October 2005, which resulted in 87,351 deaths, 75,266 injured, 2.8 million people being displaced, and 250,000 farm animals dying. The notable difference between this earthquake and the 2005 earthquake is the depth of the seismic activity. The 2005 earthquake was 15 km deep while this earthquake was 212.5 km deep.
Contents
Earthquake
The mountains of South Asia, pushed up by the collision of tectonic plates, are prone to devastating quakes.[1] An earthquake in April 2015, Nepal's worst in 80 years, killed more than 9,000 people. In 2005, tens of thousands were killed in an earthquake centered in the Kashmir region.[14]The earthquake had occurred on 26 October 2015 at 14:45 (09:09 UTC) at a depth of approximately 212.5 km, with its epicentre approximately 82 km southeast of Feyzabad, Afghanistan. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) initially measured the quake's intensity at 7.7, then revised it down to 7.6 and later to 7.5. The Pakistan Meteorological Department, however, said the magnitude of the earthquake was 8.1. According to USGS, the epicentre was 67 km from Chitral.[15][16] [17] [18]
Aftermath
| Country | Deaths | Injuries | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
 Pakistan |
228 | 1,620+ | [8][19] |
 Afghanistan |
82 | 300+ | [8][20] |
 India (Jammu and Kashmir) |
2 | N/A | [8] |
| Total | 312 | 1,920+ |
In India, Delhi Metro spokesman told AFP “All of around 190 trains plying on the tracks were stopped at the time of the earthquake." In Pakistan, Karakoram Highway was closed off.[23]
Rescue and relief
PakistanPakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif directed all federal, civil, military and provincial agencies to declare an immediate alert and mobilise all resources to ensure the security of citizens of Pakistan. According to Inter-Services Public Relations, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has directed army personnel to reach out where required to help affected people without waiting for orders.[15][16]
AfghanistanChief executive officer of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah called an emergency meeting of senior officials to respond to the disaster.[24]
IndiaThe Indian Prime Minster, Narendra Modi contacted his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif and offered help.[8]
United NationsAccording to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UN agencies are mobilizing to assist Pakistani and Afghan relief operations.[25]
Recent earthquake studies
In recent studies, geologists claim that global warming is one of the reasons for increased seismic activity. According to these studies melting glaciers and rising sea levels disturb the balance of pressure on Earth's tectonic plates thus causing increase in the frequency and intensity of earthquakes. This could be one of the reasons why Himalayas are getting more prone to earthquakes in recent years.[26]See also
References
- "Fire and Ice: Melting Glaciers Trigger Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Volcanos". about News. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
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