SITUATION OVERVIEW
On October 7, 2023, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck near Herat, Afghanistan, resulting from thrust faulting at shallow depths near the western end of the Hindu Kush mountain range. Preceding this event, a similar magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred approximately 30 minutes earlier. Both earthquakes occurred along fault planes oriented east-west, with a dip either to the north or south. These seismic activities took place within the Eurasia plate, situated in an intracontinental mountain belt.
The frequent occurrence of earthquakes in Afghanistan and its surrounding regions is attributed to the intricate and active interactions among the Arabian, Eurasia, and Indian plates. The seismicity in the western and central regions of Afghanistan is primarily influenced by the northward movement of the Arabian plate relative to the Eurasia plate.
