In the seismically charged Hindu Kush, a 4.2 magnitude earthquake jolted Afghanistan’s Badakhshan near Ashkasham Thursday afternoon. Timed at 1:08 PM IST (local 4:30 PM), 33 km from the border and 100 km deep, the event’s toll is under evaluation with no casualty details yet.
Preceding shocks paint a tense picture: Wednesday’s 3.8 at 90 km depth, and Tuesday’s hazardous 4.1 at a mere 10 km. The perils of shallowness are stark—waves hit the surface undiminished, fueling violent shakes, collapses, and aftershocks that deeper quakes mute through dissipation.
This plate boundary nation, squeezed by Indian and Eurasian giants, hosts fault lines through Herat and beyond, birthing routine tremors. Badakhshan exemplifies the threat, demanding robust infrastructure and awareness.
Xinhua notes a parallel 4.2 in Israel’s Dead Sea southeast—Earth’s nadir—at 26 km depth (31.1°N, 35.5°E), 9 AM Jerusalem time. Felt nationwide, it prompted Magen David Adom’s all-clear on injuries and police-led inspections, with safety advisories broadcast widely.