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Information message about a strong earthquake in Afghanistan on November 2, 2025

An earthquake (destructive at the epicenter on the SIS-17 scale) with M=6.4 occurred on November 2, 2025 at 20:28 GMT (23:28 Moscow Time) in Afghanistan.<br /> SIS-17 - Earthquakes. Seismic intensity scale. State Standard 57546–2017.

Parameters of the earthquake have been determined in the Alert Service (AS) of Information Processing Center (IPC) of Geophysical Survey of RAS in Obninsk with station data obtained from digital and analog seismic stations of Russia, countries of CIS and from abroad. Alert message on this earthquake has been delivered in 10 min after registration to the Ministry of Emergency of the Russian Federation (EMERCOM).

Preliminary processing has been done with data from 19 stations, accurate processing - with data from 44.

The red marker on the map is the epicenter of the earthquake, which occurred on the border of Balkh and Samangan provinces, Afghanistan, at a depth of 10 km, 43 km SE of Mazar-i-Sharif, 58 km W-NW of Aibak and 265 km NW of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

	Time in origin (GMT)	Latitude, degree	Longitude, degree	Depth, km	Stations number	Ms/N	mb/N	I0 (calculated)	GAP	Center
1	20:28:59.0	36.48	67.47	10.0	44	6.4/35	6.5/36	9-9.5	173	GS RAS(Verified) Federal research center, Geophysical survey of Russian Academy of Sciences
2	20:28:57.9	36.57	67.51	10.0	19		6.4/19	8.5-9		GS RAS(Preliminary) Federal research center, Geophysical survey of Russian Academy of Sciences
3	20:29:01.2	36.62	67.54	25.0	1195	Mw 6.3	6.3/521		26	CSEM European - Mediterranean seismological center
4	20:29:02.0	36.59	67.48	28.0	112	6.1/26	6.2/309		46	NEIC National Earthquakes Information Center of US Geological Service

Fig. 1 presents fragments of records obtained from digital stations Chuyangaron (∆ 2.6º), Jizzakh (∆ 3.6º), Ala-Archa (∆ 8.2º), Makanchi (∆ 15.1º), Garni (∆ 18.2º). Fig. 2 presents fragments of records obtained from digital stations Nalchik (∆ 19.5º), Neytrino (∆ 20.1º), Kislovodsk (∆ 20.3º), Arti (∆ 20.8º), Sverdlovsk (∆ 20.9º).

Image 1

Image 2

According to TASS 24 people were killed and more than 980 were injured. More than 2,000 homes were completely or partially destroyed.
The shocks were also felt in Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Iran and even India. Fig. 1 was obtained from CSEM it presents intensity map made by responses from 1338 persons.

Image 1

Click here to view detailed macroseismic data (DyfitWeb service)

Focal mechanism solution of the origin was calculated by GS RAS with signs of initial arrivals of P waves at 81 stations, including 23 stations which registered compression waves (plus signs), and 58 stations which registered tensile waves (minus signs). The stations are located in the interval of epicentral distances 3.6-92.0º and in azimuth sector Az=3-354º. Focal mechanism solution in stereographic projection on the lower hemisphere and elements of the mechanism are presented in the table. The table also contains focal mechanism solutions obtained at the USGS NEIC with WW-phase Moment Tensor (Mww) technique and in Lamont-Dohert Earth Observatory of Columbia University, USA (LDEO GCMT) with СМТ (Centroid moment tensor) technique. Solutions from different centers are close. The earthquake was caused by slight prevalence of north-oriented compression stresses (AZ=357-3º). One nodal plane NP1 strikes W-SW (STK=236-243º), another plane NP2 strikes SE (STK=135-138º). NP2 plane is more horizontal (DP=41-47º) if compared with NP1 (DP=76-80º). The type of motion along NP1 – left lateral slip with reverse fault component, along NP2 – right lateral slip. The seismic moment according to USGS NEIC makes Mo= 3.339•10*18 N•m, Mww=6.28. According to LDEO GCMT it makes Mo= 3.95•10*18 N•m, Mw=6.3.

Axes of main strengths			Nodal planes		Center
T	P	N	NP1	NP2	Center
PI: 43 Azm: 112	PI: 19 Azm: 3	PI: 41 Azm: 256	Stk: 243 Dp: 76 Slip: 48	Stk: 138 Dp: 44 Slip: 159	GS RAS Federal research center, Geophysical survey of Russian Academy of Sciences
PI: 42 Azm: 110	PI: 23 Azm: 357	PI: 39 Azm: 247	Stk: 238 Dp: 79 Slip: 50	Stk: 135 Dp: 41 Slip: 163	NEIC National Earthquakes Information Center of US Geological Service
PI: 37 Azm: 106	PI: 21 Azm: 360	PI: 46 Azm: 247	Stk: 236 Dp: 80 Slip: 43	Stk: 137 Dp: 47 Slip: 166	GCMT Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Global CMT Columbia University, USA

The epicenter of the reported earthquake was located 362 km NW of the epicenter of the strong earthquake of August, 31 2025 with М=6.0, 316 km W of the strong earthquake of March 21, 2023 with М=6.9 and 281 km W of the strong earthquake of December 20, 2019 with M=6.6 in Afghanistan.