5.8 Magnitude Earthquake in Afghanistan-Tajikistan Shakes Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Delhi-NCR

A 5.8 intensity earthquake hit Afghanistan on Saturday afternoon, with quakes felt across some areas in northern India and Pakistan. The quake had an origin at a depth of 130 km near the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, according to the National Center for Seismology.

Shaking was felt in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Delhi-NCR, causing panic among the locals. Shaking was also felt in cities such as Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, and throughout the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.

The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) confirmed the epicentre of the quake near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border. The National Center for Seismology posted coordinates and details on X: “EQ of M: 5.8, On: 19/04/2025 12:17:53 IST, Lat: 36.10 N, Long: 71.20 E, Depth: 130 Km, Location: Afghanistan.”

Residents across northern India shared their experiences. “I felt the tremor. I was in the office when my chair shook,” said a Srinagar local to ANI.

Earlier in the day, a separate 2.9 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Assam’s Nagaon at 7:38 am, at a depth of 10 km.

Earthquake activity has also hit Delhi-NCR recently. In February, a 4.0 magnitude quake hit Delhi with the epicentre located in Dhaula Kuan, leaving people in a panic mode as they said they heard loud noises before and during the quake.

Delhi falls in seismic zone 4, which is high-risk. Because more than 60% of its structures are more than 20 years old and 75% of building construction has not been in accordance with safety standards, the area is prone to structural vulnerability. Its location in close proximity to the still-active Himalayan belt, along with the existence of faults like the Mathura and Sohna faults, renders the area prone to seismic risk.

Experts call for correct city planning, strict building codes, and emergency preparedness to reduce future earthquake damage.