Deadly 5.8 quake kills 8 in Afghanistan

At least eight people lost their lives when a strong 5.8-magnitude earthquake jolted the Hindu Kush region on Friday, sending shockwaves across large swathes of Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan. The deadliest impact was recorded in the Bagrami district of central Kabul province, according to Afghanistan's state-run Bakhtar News Agency.

Afghan authorities confirmed that one additional person sustained injuries in the tremor, while another individual was initially reported missing, according to a statement from the Afghanistan Information Ministry. The quake struck at 1612 GMT at a depth of 181 kilometers (112 miles), according to data from the German Research Centre for Geosciences. The event was first measured at 5.9 magnitude before being revised downward to 5.8.

Tremors felt across multiple capitals

The earthquake's reach extended far beyond Afghanistan's borders. A local resident named Obaidullah Baheer posted on the social media platform X that the shaking was clearly felt in the Afghan capital of Kabul. The Pakistan Meteorological Department initially recorded the quake at a higher magnitude of 6.1.

In Pakistan, residents reported feeling the tremors in the capital Islamabad, the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan region. The shaking was also perceptible in Indian-administered Kashmir, causing brief panic among residents across the disputed territory.

Deep quake reduces surface impact

Experts note that while a 5.8-magnitude earthquake can cause significant damage, the depth of this particular event—at 181 kilometers—likely reduced the severity of surface shaking compared to shallower quakes of similar magnitude. Nevertheless, the region remains highly vulnerable due to widespread informal construction and mountainous terrain that can trigger landslides. Authorities continue to assess damage in remote areas that may have been affected by the strong tremors.