BREAKING: POWERFUL 6.5 magnitude earthquake hits Asian countries of Afgahanistan, Pakistan and India

Earthquake seismograph

Earthquake seismograph. Credit: Andrey VP/Shutterstock.com

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.5 magnitude hit a wide region of Asia including Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

A powerful earthquake measuring a preliminary 6.5 magnitude struck a wide region of Asia this evening, Tuesday, March 21, including northeast Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and other surrounding countries. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), its epicentre was estimated to have been located around 40 km SSE of the village of Jurm in Afghanistan at 16:47pm (UTC).

It was registered with a slightly higher force of 6.6 by India’s National Centre for Seismology, estimating its depth at around 184 km (114 miles). There have been no reports of casualties or damage to property.

The tremor was reported online by officials as far afield as India’s capital city of New Delhi, Islamabad in Pakistan, and Tajikistan. Earthquakes are not uncommon in the Hindu Kush mountain range. In October 2005, more than 79,000 people were killed after a 7.6 magnitude tremor struck the Kashmir region.

Some friends of EWN contacted us to report feeling the tremor. Jaskaran Singh, a resident of New Delhi, told us: “We were inside the house when we felt the first tremor. It was very intense…I felt the first tremor for 20 seconds after which the entire four-floored building started to move for at least 40 seconds”.

Farhan Khan in New Delhi commented: “I have never experienced such an earthquake before…this was on another level. The frames of the door started to shake. We were on the eighth floor when the tremors started. I held my pregnant wife’s hand and brought her down. All the people in the neighbourhood rushed down and we are not being allowed to go upstairs due to fears of aftershocks”.

Talat Rasool who lives in Kashmir, added: “I was watching TV at home when the first tremor hit and then shortly after another one shook us before we were hit again by a major jolt. Everything in our house started shaking”.

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Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

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