Afghanistan's Tectonic Turmoil: Understanding The Country's Earthquake Risk

Afghanistan is prone to earthquakes. Located in a region where several tectonic plates meet, the country is susceptible to seismic activity. The Indian tectonic plate's ongoing collision with the Eurasian plate has resulted in the formation of the Hindu Kush mountain range, which runs through Afghanistan and Pakistan. This collision of plates creates seismic waves that cause earthquakes. Since 1950, more than 15,000 people have died as a direct consequence of earthquakes in Afghanistan. The country has a long history of earthquakes, with the strongest earthquake in the country occurring in 1956 in the Kabul region, with a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale.

Afghanistan's location between several tectonic plates makes it susceptible to earthquakes

Afghanistan is located in a region where several tectonic plates meet, making it susceptible to earthquakes. The country is bordered by the Indian, Eurasian, and Arabian tectonic plates. The northward movement of the Indian plate pushes it against the Eurasian plate, causing the latter to move westwards. This collision of plates creates seismic waves, resulting in earthquakes. The Indian plate moves northward at a rate of about 1.5 inches (37-40 millimeters) per year, forming the Himalayan mountain range and the Hindu Kush mountain range, which runs through Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Alpide Belt, which includes the Hindu Kush mountain range, is the second most seismically active region globally after the Pacific Ring of Fire. This belt is formed by the collision of the Eurasian and African plates in the west and the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates in the east. The movement of these plates generates pressure and tension that lead to earthquakes.

The effects of these tectonic plate movements are felt across Afghanistan, particularly in the mountainous Hindu Kush region, which has a long history of earthquakes. The country has experienced several powerful earthquakes, including one in 1956 in the Kabul region with a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale. More recently, in June 2022, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, causing devastation in southeastern Afghanistan and killing over 1,050 people.

The vulnerability of Afghan communities to earthquakes is influenced by various factors, including geography, economic fragility, and traditional construction techniques. The distribution of active faults across the country further contributes to the risk of earthquakes. While some major faults, such as the Chaman Fault, slip at slower rates, others remain unmapped and can rupture in earthquakes causing significant damage and loss of life.

The country's traditional building methods are vulnerable to earthquakes

Afghanistan is prone to earthquakes due to its geographical location on the edge of the Eurasian tectonic plate, where the Indian tectonic plate is colliding with the Eurasian plate. This collision of plates creates seismic waves, resulting in earthquakes. While the magnitude of these earthquakes varies, even moderate-sized earthquakes can cause significant damage and loss of life in Afghanistan due to various factors, including the country's traditional building methods.

The country's traditional building methods, which have been used for centuries, are well-suited to Afghanistan's unique building challenges, including its extreme climate and varying availability of natural resources. These methods often involve the use of locally sourced materials such as stone, mud, timber, and bamboo. However, one of the major factors that make Afghan communities vulnerable to earthquakes is the widespread use of unreinforced adobe construction with traditional building techniques.

In rural areas of Afghanistan, homes and buildings are typically constructed using unreinforced adobe, with walls made of mud brick or stone blocks cemented with dried mud and thick flat or domed roofs of dried mud supported by timber. While these structures are well-insulated from extreme heat and cold and utilise cheap, locally sourced materials, they are highly susceptible to collapse during earthquakes. The heavy walls and roofs of these traditional buildings often collapse, leading to high fatality rates.

The use of traditional building methods without reinforcement or modern adaptations to improve earthquake resistance contributes significantly to the vulnerability of Afghan communities to earthquakes. The lack of enforcement of building codes and the limited understanding of novel construction practices further exacerbate the issue.

To enhance the resilience of Afghan communities to earthquakes, it is crucial to incorporate earthquake-resistant construction techniques and materials, such as reinforced concrete, into traditional building methods. Additionally, effective enforcement of building codes and the implementation of policies to support the financial aspects of constructing earthquake-resistant structures are vital.

The impact of earthquakes is worsened by the country's geography and economic fragility

Afghanistan is located in a region where several tectonic plates meet, making it susceptible to seismic activity. The country is bordered by the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, with the Arabian plate also close by. The northward movement of the Indian plate against the Eurasian plate causes the formation of the Hindu Kush mountain range, which runs through Afghanistan and Pakistan. This collision of plates creates seismic waves, resulting in earthquakes.

The impact of earthquakes in Afghanistan is worsened by the country's geography and economic fragility. Firstly, the country's mountainous terrain, with its high glacial peaks and deep basins, amplifies the destructive effects of earthquakes. The active faults that dissect eastern Afghanistan are responsible for the creation of these mountain ranges and basins. The basins, despite being sparsely populated, are crucial for agriculture due to their arable land and water sources. As a result, earthquakes in these regions can have devastating consequences for food production and rural communities.

Secondly, the economic fragility of Afghanistan exacerbates the impact of earthquakes. The country has a history of economic slowdown and insecurity, with high unemployment rates and inadequate institutions. The recent takeover by the Taliban has led to economic sanctions and a reduction in international aid, further straining the country's economy. As a result, Afghanistan faces challenges in implementing earthquake-resistant construction methods and enforcing building codes, particularly in rural areas. Traditional adobe construction techniques, which are well-suited to the climate, are commonly used but highly vulnerable to earthquakes.

The combination of active fault lines and traditional construction methods results in significant damage during earthquakes, with entire villages being knocked to the ground. The death toll from these earthquakes can be high, with more than 15,000 deaths attributed to earthquakes in the last 24 years. The vulnerability of the population is further increased by the lack of preparedness and knowledge about protecting themselves during earthquakes.

To reduce the impact of earthquakes, Afghanistan needs to focus on improving construction methods, enforcing building codes, and increasing community resilience through education and collaboration between various disciplines.

Afghanistan has a long history of earthquakes, with more than 15,000 deaths in the last 24 years

The Hindu Kush mountain range, which runs through Afghanistan and Pakistan, is one of the most seismically active regions in the world. The Indian tectonic plate's ongoing collision with the Eurasian plate has created the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush range. This movement of enormous volumes of rock against each other sometimes results in the rupture of one or more of the hundreds of faults near the edges of the plates, leading to earthquakes.

Afghanistan's location on two major active faults makes it especially vulnerable to earthquakes. The country has experienced large earthquakes with strengths of more than 7.0 on the Richter scale, causing damage within a radius of over 100 kilometres. The strongest earthquake in Afghanistan occurred in 1956 in the Kabul region with a magnitude of 7.6.

The country's mountainous terrain and rural populations also contribute to the high death toll from earthquakes. The basins, with arable land and water sources, sustain higher population densities, including large urban centres such as Kabul. The rural populations often reside in informal and adobe houses, which are extremely vulnerable to earthquake shaking and prone to collapse.

In recent years, Afghanistan has been hit by several high-magnitude earthquakes, including a magnitude 6.5 quake in March 2023 and a series of quakes in October 2023, with magnitudes around 6.3. These earthquakes have resulted in thousands of deaths, injuries, and the destruction of homes and settlements.

The combination of geological factors, vulnerable infrastructure, and lack of preparedness makes Afghanistan particularly susceptible to the devastating impacts of earthquakes.

The country's capital, Kabul, is located in a seismically active zone

Afghanistan is located in a highly seismically active region, with the country sitting on the edge of the Eurasian tectonic plate. The northward movement of the Indian tectonic plate, colliding with the Eurasian plate, causes earthquakes in the region. The country's capital, Kabul, is located in the northeast of the country, in a valley surrounded by high mountains. This area is known as the Kabul Block, which is bounded by the Sarobi, Gardez, and Paghman fault, the northern extension of the Chaman fault. The Chaman fault is the major tectonic boundary between the Eurasian and Indian plates, with a slip rate of 9-12 mm/year.

Kabul is one of the most seismically hazardous cities in Afghanistan, due to its proximity to the Chaman fault and its rapid urbanisation and population growth. The city has a history of earthquakes, with large earthquakes recorded in 1505 and 1891. The 1505 earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.2, is thought to have been caused by the rupture of the Chaman and Paghman faults.

The city's population has grown from 500,000 in 2001 to over 3 million by 2007, with 85% of the province's population of 5.5 million living in urban areas as of 2022. The rapid growth has led to unsafe and non-standard construction practices, leaving the city at high risk of severe impacts from an earthquake.

Afghanistan has a long history of earthquakes, with more than 50 earthquakes in the past six years and more than 15,000 deaths in the last 24 years. The country's location at the collision boundary of the Indian, Eurasian, and Arabian plates makes it susceptible to seismic activity. The active faulting is distributed across the country, with the Herat Fault stretching almost to the Iranian border. The Hindu Kush mountain range, in the northeast of the country, is one of the most seismically active regions in the world.

The country's mountainous regions are sparsely populated, with higher population densities in the basins with arable land. Kabul, a large urban centre, is one of these basins, with abundant arable land and water sources from the surrounding mountains.

Frequently asked questions