Lead
A powerful earthquake struck northeastern Afghanistan on Saturday, June 27, 2026, sending tremors that were felt across Pakistan and as far as Delhi, India. The quake, which seismic monitoring agencies reported as magnitude 6.1, originated near Jurm in the Hindu Kush region, a highly seismic area known for frequent earthquakes.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck 43 kilometers south of Jurm at a depth of 208.3 kilometers. The European Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC), however, reported the magnitude as 6.0 and placed the depth at 100 kilometers. The discrepancy in magnitude and depth reflects variations in how different agencies interpret seismic data.
Coverage Comparison
Initial reports from The Hindu and Reuters indicated no immediate casualties or damage. The Hindu noted that strong tremors were felt in Delhi, sending residents into the streets. In Pakistan, the quake caused significant disruption, with reports of injuries and property damage in the country's southwestern and northern regions.
The Hindu reported that the earthquake rocked eastern Afghan provinces including Khost and Nangarhar, and tremors could be felt from Kabul across the border into Pakistan. In Pakistan's Swat district, residents ran out of their homes in panic, as described by local resident Daniyal Ahmad to Reuters.
A separate report from the Jerusalem Post, dated earlier, noted a magnitude 5.5 earthquake striking Jurm, Afghanistan, on a Wednesday, at a depth of 216.7 kilometers. That report, citing India Today, said there were no immediate reports of injuries and described Afghanistan as among the world's most earthquake-prone countries.
Key Claims
- A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck northeast Afghanistan on Saturday, June 27, 2026, according to seismic monitoring agencies as reported by The Hindu.
- Strong tremors were felt in Delhi as a result of the earthquake, as reported by The Hindu.
- The earthquake struck 43 km south of Jurm in northeastern Afghanistan, according to the USGS as reported by The Hindu.
- The epicentre was recorded at a depth of 208.3 kilometres, according to the USGS as reported by The Hindu.
- There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, as reported by The Hindu and the Jerusalem Post.
- A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Jurm, Afghanistan, on a Wednesday, according to the USGS as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
- The quake occurred at a depth of 216.7 km, according to the USGS as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
- Afghanistan is among the world's most earthquake-prone countries, as reported by the Jerusalem Post citing India Today.
- A strong earthquake struck Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region on Saturday, as reported by the Jerusalem Post citing EMSC.
- The magnitude 6 quake occurred at a depth of 100 km, according to EMSC as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
- More than 20 people were injured in Pakistan, as reported by the Jerusalem Post citing district officials.
- 125 houses were damaged in Pakistan, as reported by the Jerusalem Post citing Balochistan's disaster management authority.
Reactions and Impact
In Pakistan, the earthquake caused injuries and damage. The district deputy commissioner of Musakhail, Abdul Razzaq Khajak, told Reuters that more than 20 people were injured and dozens of homes were damaged in the district. The disaster management authority in Balochistan province reported around 125 houses damaged and dispatched relief teams with tents, food, solar panels, and blankets to affected areas.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the damage and ordered authorities to respond urgently to help those affected, according to his office.
In Afghanistan, the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority said there were no immediate official reports of casualties or damage, but checks were ongoing.
The earthquake is part of a series of seismic events in the region. The Jerusalem Post noted that this was the third earthquake in the area in a matter of days, following a strong quake in the Hindu Kush region on Saturday and a magnitude 5.4 earthquake in Pakistan earlier that day, according to EMSC.
Afghanistan has a history of devastating earthquakes. The Jerusalem Post noted that a magnitude 6.0 earthquake in September 2025 killed more than 2,000 people, according to Taliban authorities and Reuters.
The Hindu Kush region is geologically active, and deep tremors are often felt across Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of Central Asia, as reported by the Jerusalem Post citing India Today.