M5.5 Earthquake 48 km ESE of Khandūd, Afghanistan — October 17, 2025
2025-10-17 12:15:03 UTC (2025-10-17) · approx. 5:15 PM UTC+5 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 6.4 (very strong).
On October 17, 2025 at 12:15 UTC, a magnitude 5.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 48 km ESE of Khandūd, Afghanistan, at a depth of 8.0 km and coordinates 36.7572°, 72.8064°. The earthquake was reported felt by 1 personacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 6.4 (very strong). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 110 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 466, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Khandud (population 5,521).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 3 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 3.8 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
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
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 | 1,992,195 |
| MMI 4 | light | 108,397 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 1,641 |
Earthquake Details
72.8064°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.5 earthquake near Khandūd, Afghanistan?
The magnitude 5.5 earthquake that struck 48 km ESE of Khandūd, Afghanistan on October 17, 2025 at 12:15 UTC had a depth of 8.0 km. It was felt by 1 person with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 6.4 (very strong). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 36.7572°, 72.8064°, which is 48 km ESE of Khandūd, Afghanistan. The nearest populated place is Khandud (population 5,521). View all earthquakes in Afghanistan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.5 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 5.5 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: us6000rhs3). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, October 17, 2025). M5.5 Earthquake 48 km ESE of Khandūd, Afghanistan — October 17, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000rhs3/