M4.9 Earthquake 26 km W of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan — October 16, 2020
2020-10-16 10:10:53 UTC (2020-10-16) · approx. 3:10 PM UTC+5 local
On October 16, 2020 at 10:10 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 intermediate depth earthquake struck 26 km W of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan, at a depth of 219.4 km and coordinates 36.6548°, 71.2366°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Afghanistan, a region characterized by the Hindu Kush deep seismic zone, where remnant subducted lithosphere produces intermediate-depth earthquakes at 150-300 km. View all earthquakes in Afghanistan.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
71.2366°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Ashk?sham, Afghanistan?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 26 km W of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan on October 16, 2020 at 10:10 UTC had a depth of 219.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 36.6548°, 71.2366°, which is 26 km W of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan. View all earthquakes in Afghanistan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Afghanistan had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Afghanistan was the M7.5 Hindu Kush earthquake of October 26, 2015. Today's magnitude 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000c8qv). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, October 16, 2020). M4.9 Earthquake 26 km W of Ashk?sham, Afghanistan — October 16, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000c8qv/