M5.1 Earthquake 22 km ESE of Farkhār, Afghanistan — July 19, 2023
2023-07-19 07:26:40 UTC (2023-07-19) · approx. 12:26 PM UTC+5 local
On July 19, 2023 at 07:26 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 intermediate depth earthquake struck 22 km ESE of Farkhār, Afghanistan, at a depth of 215.1 km and coordinates 36.5193°, 70.0961°. This earthquake was detected by 123 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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
Earthquake Details
70.0961°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Farkhār, Afghanistan?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 22 km ESE of Farkhār, Afghanistan on July 19, 2023 at 07:26 UTC had a depth of 215.1 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 36.5193°, 70.0961°, which is 22 km ESE of Farkhār, Afghanistan. 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.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000kgsp). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, July 19, 2023). M5.1 Earthquake 22 km ESE of Farkhār, Afghanistan — July 19, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000kgsp/