Major 6.4 magnitude earthquake shook up parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan, no reported damage

Sarah Al-Arshani, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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People leave their offices building after an earthquake was felt in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024.
People leave their offices building after an earthquake was felt in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024.

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake shook parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan on Thursday, Pakistani officials and the U.S. Geological Survey said.

It's the third major earthquake to hit Afghanistan in three months.

The earthquake's epicenter was in the Hindu Kush mountain range in Afghanistan, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter was 28 miles from Jurm village in northeastern Afghanistan at a depth of 128 miles.

The earthquake scared residents into fleeing their homes and offices as well as frightening people in remote villages, but there have been no immediate reports of damage in either Afghanistan or Pakistan.

Tremors were felt in Delhi, India after the earthquake, according to the Indian Express.

A general view shows residential buildings in Kabul on January 11, 2024. A powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit northeastern Afghanistan on January 11, shaking buildings from the capital Kabul to Islamabad in neighbouring Pakistan
A general view shows residential buildings in Kabul on January 11, 2024. A powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit northeastern Afghanistan on January 11, shaking buildings from the capital Kabul to Islamabad in neighbouring Pakistan
People gather outside a building in the aftermath of an earthquake in Islamabad on January 11, 2024.
People gather outside a building in the aftermath of an earthquake in Islamabad on January 11, 2024.

Tragedy after tragedy: Another earthquake hits Afghanistan, a week after massive quake

Several earthquakes hit Afghanistan in October

Afghan men search for victims after an earthquake in Zenda Jan district in Herat province, of western Afghanistan, on Oct. 8, 2023.
Afghan men search for victims after an earthquake in Zenda Jan district in Herat province, of western Afghanistan, on Oct. 8, 2023.

Three months before the most recent earthquake, Afghanistan was hit by several major earthquakes within weeks.

The first major earthquake hit 25 miles northwest of Herat city, in Herat province on October 7. The province is one of the most populated in Afghanistan.

That earthquake was followed by several very strong aftershocks, as well as less severe shocks.

The death toll could not be independently verified but Taliban officials and non-profits estimated that as many as 2,000 people could have been killed.

"When the first earthquake hit, people thought it was an explosion, and they ran into their homes,” said Siddig Ibrahim, the chief of the UNICEF field office in Herat.

Just four days later, the region was hit by another 6.3-magnitude earthquake. And another four days later, a third powerful temblor hit the region.

By that point, many people were already staying in tents outdoors after their homes were reduced to rubble.

Afghan children walk through a tent camp in Zindan Jan, Afghanistan, on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, three months after a massive earthquake hit the area.
Afghan children walk through a tent camp in Zindan Jan, Afghanistan, on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, three months after a massive earthquake hit the area.
Afghan people sit outside a makeshift shelter in Chahak village in Injil district of Herat province on October 24, 2023, after a magnitude 6.3 earthquake shook western Afghanistan on October 15.
Afghan people sit outside a makeshift shelter in Chahak village in Injil district of Herat province on October 24, 2023, after a magnitude 6.3 earthquake shook western Afghanistan on October 15.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Earthquake hits Afghanistan and Pakistan, tremors felt in Delhi, India