Earthquakes Shake Afghanistan and Pakistan
On November 13, Afghanistan was hit by two earthquakes within 24 hours. The first earthquake, with a magnitude of 4.1, occurred at 3:36 pm IST at a depth of 60 kilometers. The second, stronger earthquake, with a magnitude of 5, struck at 9:17 pm IST at a depth of 140 kilometers. Both had the same epicenter at Latitude 36.43 N and Longitude 71.39 E.
Earlier in the day, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake affected Pakistan’s Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, including cities like Peshawar and Abbottabad. The epicenter was in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, known for frequent seismic activity, and the quake occurred at a depth of 220 kilometers.
These events highlight the seismic activity in South Asia, where the Indian tectonic plate is pushing into the Eurasian plate, causing frequent earthquakes.
Doubts Revealed
Earthquake -: An earthquake is when the ground shakes because of movements deep inside the Earth. It can cause buildings to shake and sometimes even fall down.
Magnitude -: Magnitude is a number that tells us how strong an earthquake is. A higher number means a stronger earthquake.
Epicenter -: The epicenter is the spot on the Earth’s surface right above where the earthquake starts underground.
Seismic Activity -: Seismic activity refers to the frequency and strength of earthquakes in a particular area.
Hindu Kush -: The Hindu Kush is a mountain range in Central Asia, known for having many earthquakes because of the way the Earth’s plates move there.
Tectonic Plate Movements -: Tectonic plates are huge pieces of the Earth’s surface that move very slowly. When they bump into each other or slide past each other, they can cause earthquakes.
South Asia -: South Asia is a region in the southern part of Asia, which includes countries like India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.