6.2-magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan, tremors felt in Delhi-NCR, Pakistan

A strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region on Saturday (June 27), with tremors felt across Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir, and Delhi-NCR. People also took to social media to report the quake.

According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake struck at a depth of 215 km. A Reuters report, citing an eyewitness, said people in Pakistan's Swat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ran out of their homes in panic. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

“The tremors were very strong here in Swat and lasted for quite some time,” resident Daniyal Ahmad told Reuters. He said women and children were seen crying as people gathered outdoors fearing aftershocks.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake's epicentre was located 43 km south of Jurm in northeastern Afghanistan.

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In Afghanistan, the quake was felt in Kabul and the eastern provinces of Khost and Nangarhar. Tremors were also reported in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

The tremors triggered panic in parts of Delhi, with residents rushing out of their homes and offices.

Afghanistan frequently experiences earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush region, one of the world's most active seismic belts, according to the Red Cross. The country's vulnerability stems from its location along the collision zone of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage in Afghanistan or India.

The earthquake came just days after twin earthquakes in Venezuela killed 920 people and injured thousands.

Two powerful earthquakes struck within a minute of each other on Wednesday evening, flattening buildings in the South American country. United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher said more than 50,000 people were missing.