M5.1 Earthquake 20 km SSE of Yangī Qal‘ah, Afghanistan — October 7, 2025
2025-10-07 11:35:28 UTC (2025-10-07) · approx. 4:35 PM UTC+5 local
Maximum shaking intensity MMI 6.0 (strong).
On October 7, 2025 at 11:35 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 20 km SSE of Yangī Qal‘ah, Afghanistan, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 37.2837°, 69.6738°. The USGS PAGER system issued a yellow alert level for this event, indicating local impact possible. This earthquake was detected by 119 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 650, making it a moderate-impact event. The nearest populated place is Yangi Qal`ah (population 6,541).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 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
Nearest Populated Places
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 9,594,371 |
| MMI 4 | light | 2,001,976 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 265,761 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 44,456 |
Earthquake Details
69.6738°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Yangī Qal‘ah, Afghanistan?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 20 km SSE of Yangī Qal‘ah, Afghanistan on October 7, 2025 at 11:35 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 37.2837°, 69.6738°, which is 20 km SSE of Yangī Qal‘ah, Afghanistan. The nearest populated place is Yangi Qal`ah (population 6,541). View all earthquakes in Afghanistan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks 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 5.1 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
What should I do after an earthquake?
If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000rfbw). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, October 7, 2025). M5.1 Earthquake 20 km SSE of Yangī Qal‘ah, Afghanistan — October 7, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000rfbw/