M4.9 Earthquake 6 km NNW of Balkh, Afghanistan — October 11, 2022
2022-10-11 08:10:20 UTC (2022-10-11) · approx. 12:10 PM UTC+4 local
On October 11, 2022 at 08:10 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 6 km NNW of Balkh, Afghanistan, at a depth of 36.4 km and coordinates 36.8088°, 66.8796°. This earthquake was detected by 55 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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
66.8796°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Balkh, Afghanistan?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 6 km NNW of Balkh, Afghanistan on October 11, 2022 at 08:10 UTC had a depth of 36.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 36.8088°, 66.8796°, which is 6 km NNW of Balkh, 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: us6000isnu). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, October 11, 2022). M4.9 Earthquake 6 km NNW of Balkh, Afghanistan — October 11, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000isnu/