The magnitude 4.2 earthquake hit Afghanistan in the early hours of Sunday, marking the fifth shock to shock the country in a week. According to the National Center for Sisamology (NCS), the latest earthquake occurred at a depth of 135 km in IST at 6.33 am.So far, there is no confirmation of injuries or structural damage, although the assessment is still going on.The region experienced four previous earthquakes between May 16 and May 20. On Monday, May 19, a 4.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded. A day earlier, on 18 May, a slightly strong earthquake occurred at a depth of 150 km. Earlier, Quaran 4.2 and 4.0 quakes were reported on 17 and 16 May respectively.Recent spikes in seismic activity have raised equally concerns between experts and residents. Afghanistan, especially the Hindu Kush region, is recognized as a seismicly active area due to its location with the range of conflict between Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. A major mistake line also moves through the western province of Harat, leading to the region’s vulnerability.The coordination of human affairs for the International Red Cross and the United Nations Office (UNOCHA) has often highlighted Afghanistan’s sensitivity for natural disasters including earthquakes, landslides and seasonal floods.More information is awaited as monitoring agencies keep assessing the effect.
