Afghan Quake Kills Dozens of Poor Villagers

Eastern Afghanistan Quake Kills Dozens

About 40 Villagers in eastern Afghanistan were killed and at least 50 others injured after a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Hindu Kush region at a shallow depth of about 5.7 km. The mainshock was followed by a 5.1 Mw aftershock about two hours later.

About 500 livestock were also killed by the quake, which  reduced more than 200 houses to rubble in Sherzad province.

Up to 100,000 people were killed and as many as 5 million were displaced when a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck northwest Pakistan and Kashmir in October 2005.

The quakes hit overnight the districts of Khogyani and Sherzad in Nangarhar province near the Pakistan border. Photo: AFP. Image may be subject to copyright.

The 5.5 Mw mainshock and 5.1 -magnitude struck within two hours. Image: AFP. Image may be subject to copyright.

Earthquake Details (USGS)
Magnitude: 5.5
Date-Time:

• Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 21:27:51 UTC
• Friday, April 17, 2009 at 01:57:51 AM at epicenter

• Location: 34.201°N, 70.064°E
• Depth: 5.7 km (3.5 miles) (poorly constrained)
• Region:  HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN

Distances:

• 45 km (25 miles) SW of Jalalabad, Afghanistan
• 90 km (55 miles) ESE of KABUL, Afghanistan
• 140 km (85 miles) W of Peshawar, Pakistan
• 220 km (135 miles) WSW of Mingaora, Pakistan

Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 6.6 km (4.1 miles); depth +/- 14.5 km (9.0 miles)

Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)

Event ID: us2009fmbv