Two separate seismic events measuring 4.1 magnitude struck Afghanistan and Bangladesh simultaneously in the early hours of Thursday, according to reports from the National Center for Seismology (NCS).
The Bangladesh tremor occurred at 5:44 AM Indian Standard Time (IST) at a depth of 30 kilometers, with its epicenter located at coordinates 23.95°N latitude and 90.72°E longitude. The seismic activity was recorded through the BhooKamp monitoring application and officially confirmed via the NCS social media channels.
Nearly simultaneously, Afghanistan experienced an earthquake of identical magnitude but significantly greater depth. The Afghan seismic event registered at 3:05 AM IST with its epicenter at 36.54°N latitude and 71.66°E longitude, occurring at a substantial depth of 140 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface.
Seismological experts note the critical difference in depth between the two events. The Bangladesh earthquake, classified as a shallow-focus event, typically produces more noticeable surface shaking due to reduced energy dissipation before reaching populated areas. Conversely, the Afghan quake’s deeper origin likely resulted in less intense ground-level impact despite its identical magnitude.
This seismic activity occurs against a backdrop of recent earthquake-related tragedies in the region. On November 21, a 5.5-magnitude earthquake in Bangladesh caused structural failures in Dhaka’s Armanitola area, resulting in three fatalities and ten injuries when a building’s rooftop railing collapsed.
Afghanistan continues to demonstrate particular seismic vulnerability due to its position within the geologically active Hindu Kush Mountain range. The region experienced a devastating earthquake on November 3 that claimed 27 lives, injured 956 people, and damaged significant cultural heritage sites including historically important mosques.
The Red Cross recognizes this mountainous region as perpetually seismically active, with annual earthquake occurrences being geologically inevitable. Monitoring organizations continue to emphasize the importance of earthquake preparedness throughout South Asia, particularly in areas with high population density and infrastructure vulnerability.