Earthquake in Afghanistan

Afghanistan not only prone to hazardous terrorists attacks, but also to the _greater risks of earthquakes_ too!

More than _7000 people_ were killed in the _last 10 years_ in Afghanistan, which includes the Nahrin’s earthquake, which happened in the _year 1998_ with an estimated loss of 4000 people. Afghanistan has huge risks of earthquakes, due to the _ongoing geological processes_ that happen quite near to the highly populated areas. Large earthquakes _trigger landslides_ in the mountainous regions, further its _geographical proximity_ to the southward projecting Eurasian tectonic plates, besides surrounded by the _active plates in the east, south and west boundaries_ add up to the series of faults, deformation, and earthquakes. Many research results show that the _seismic hazards are_ much _higher in the north-eastern region_ of Afghanistan, then in the western half of the country.

In the year 1998, a major earthquake did affect Afghanistan with a magnitude of about 6.1 on the Richer scale, resulting in the life loss of around 3000 people. The building practices are inadequate in the country, thus even the small earthquakes have led to large fatalities. The northeastern part of Afghanistan does fall under the category of the rare _continental regions_ on earth, which faces the destructive earthquakes that in turn occur at a depth of 200 km, or more. The _surface rupture_ in Afghanistan also act as a _potential source_ of earthquakes, besides its geological location to the seismic zones. The _central part_ of the country is seismically inactive, whereas, the _heavy population_ in the north and east regions of the country bear a greater seismic significance.