In the early morning of Sunday August 6th, 2023, a significant Magnitude 5.3 aftershock hit under land 77 kilometer from Fayzabad in Afghanistan. Other nearby countries are Tajikistan and Pakistan.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Afghanistan, 77 kilometer (48 mi) south of Fayzabad in Badakhshan. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 218 km.
| Date and Time: | Aug 6, 2023 05:02AM (Kabul Time) - Aug 6, 2023 00:32 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 77 km south of Fayzabad, Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Coordinates 36°25'52"N 70°40'8"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.3 Detected by 33 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.054 . |
| Depth: | 218 km (135 mi) An intermediate depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Tsunami very unlikely Tsunami's are usually caused by MAG-6.5+ earthquakes, less than 100km shallow, and with an epicenter under sea. Neither of this seems to be the case. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake struck within proximity of multiple countries. Afghanistan , Tajikistan and Pakistan are all within 300km distance of its epicenter.
The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Fayzabad in Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Fayzabad is located 77 kilometer (48 mi) south of the epicenter.
Major cities near this earthquake: Kabul is located 251 km to the south-southwest. Peshawar is located 282 km to the south-southeast. Battagram is located 289 km to the south-east.
An overview of nearby towns and cities is available in the overview below.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 77 km (48 mi) N from epicenter |
Fayzabad Badakhshan, Afghanistan. |
| 90 km (56 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Ishqoshim Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan. |
| 107 km (66 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Taloqan Takhar, Afghanistan. |
| 107 km (66 mi) NW from epicenter |
Rustāq Takhar, Afghanistan. |
| 129 km (80 mi) NW from epicenter |
Ārt Khwājah Takhar, Afghanistan. |
| 142 km (88 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Khorugh Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan. |
| 142 km (88 mi) W from epicenter |
Khanabad Kunduz, Afghanistan. |
| 144 km (89 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Nahrīn Baghlan, Afghanistan. |
| 157 km (98 mi) NW from epicenter |
Chubek Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 162 km (101 mi) SW from epicenter |
Bāzārak Panjshir, Afghanistan. |
| 163 km (101 mi) NW from epicenter |
Farkhor Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 165 km (103 mi) W from epicenter |
Kunduz Kunduz, Afghanistan. |
| 167 km (104 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Āsmār Kunar, Afghanistan. |
| 174 km (108 mi) SE from epicenter |
Upper Dir Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 177 km (110 mi) SE from epicenter |
Thal Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 178 km (111 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Hulbuk Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 179 km (111 mi) W from epicenter |
Baghlān Baghlan, Afghanistan. |
| 179 km (111 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Asadābād Kunar, Afghanistan. |
| 183 km (114 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Pul-e Khumrī Baghlan, Afghanistan. |
| 183 km (114 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Kŭlob Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 190 km (118 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Qarāwul Kunduz, Afghanistan. |
| 195 km (121 mi) SW from epicenter |
Jabal os Saraj Parwan, Afghanistan. |
| 200 km (124 mi) S from epicenter |
Mehtar Lām Laghman, Afghanistan. |
| 208 km (129 mi) SW from epicenter |
Charikar Parwan, Afghanistan. |
| 216 km (134 mi) NW from epicenter |
Vakhsh Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 219 km (136 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Danghara Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 220 km (137 mi) NW from epicenter |
Kolkhozobod Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 224 km (139 mi) S from epicenter |
Jalālābād Nangarhar, Afghanistan. |
| 227 km (141 mi) NW from epicenter |
Moskovskiy Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 229 km (142 mi) NW from epicenter |
Bokhtar Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 234 km (145 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Bat Khela Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 238 km (148 mi) W from epicenter |
Aībak Samangan, Afghanistan. |
| 239 km (149 mi) SE from epicenter |
Mingora Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 248 km (154 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Norak Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 251 km (156 mi) SSW from epicenter |
Kabul Kabul, Afghanistan. |
| 253 km (157 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Tangi Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 257 km (160 mi) SW from epicenter |
Paghmān Kabul, Afghanistan. |
| 259 km (161 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Shabqadar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 267 km (166 mi) W from epicenter |
Khulm Balkh, Afghanistan. |
| 268 km (167 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Utmanzai Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 272 km (169 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Charsadda Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 278 km (173 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Vahdat Republican Subordination, Tajikistan. |
| 278 km (173 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Mardan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 280 km (174 mi) NW from epicenter |
Boshkengash Dushanbe, Tajikistan. |
| 282 km (175 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 287 km (178 mi) NW from epicenter |
Dushanbe Dushanbe, Tajikistan. |
| 288 km (179 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Pabbi Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 289 km (180 mi) SE from epicenter |
Battagram Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 290 km (180 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Risalpur Cantonment Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 293 km (182 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Aman Garh Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 296 km (184 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Nowshera Cantonment Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
Shaking reported by 8 people in 4 countries
People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 8 people have reported shaking in 5 places in 4 countries (Tajikistan, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan).We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.
Places with most reports:
- Kabul, Kabul, Afghanistan: 3 people.
- Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan: 2 people.
- Dushanbe, Dushanbe, Tajikistan: 1 person.
- Rūrkī, Uttaranchal, India: 1 person.
- Dir, North-West Frontier, Pakistan: 1 person.
This is likely an aftershock
This earthquake was an aftershock. A larger mag. 5.8 earthquake struck 5 km (3 mi) east-northeast in advance of this 5.3 earthquake around 9 hrs earlier.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 4.1 |
19 hrs earlier Aug 5, 2023 01:28AM (Kabul Time) | 43 km (27 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.7 |
11 hrs earlier Aug 5, 2023 09:23AM (Kabul Time) | 78 km (48 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.7 |
11 hrs earlier Aug 5, 2023 09:24AM (Kabul Time) | 76 km (47 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.1 |
6 hrs earlier Aug 5, 2023 02:37PM (Kabul Time) | 52 km (33 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.2 |
1 hr earlier Aug 5, 2023 07:17PM (Kabul Time) | 54 km (34 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock | M 5.8 |
Aug 5, 2023 08:31PM (Kabul Time) | - |
| Aftershock This Earthquake |
M 5.3 |
9 hrs later Aug 6, 2023 05:02AM (Kabul Time) | 5 km (3 mi) WSW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 5.1 |
21 hrs later Aug 6, 2023 05:53PM (Kabul Time) | 21 km (13 mi) ENE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.0 |
1 day later Aug 7, 2023 06:03AM (Kabul Time) | 55 km (34 mi) ENE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.2 |
2 days later Aug 7, 2023 08:17PM (Kabul Time) | 53 km (33 mi) E from Main Shock. |
More earthquakes coming?
Aftershocks are usually at least 1 order of magnitude less strong than main shocks. The more time passes, the smaller the chance and likely strength of any potential aftershocks.
In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.
Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).Earthquakes like this happen often in the region
Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. In total, 38 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.3 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 3 months.
Tsunami very unlikely
It is very unlikely that this eartquake will cause any tsunami's. The reported magnitude is lower than the MAG-6.5 strength required to cause any earthquakes. In addition, this earthquake was not very shallow and appears to have occurred under land. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.
Tsunami Risk Factors
| Factor | Under Sea? | MAG-6.5 or stronger? | Shallow depth? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. | Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's. |
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor. |
| This Earthquake | Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 218 km (135 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 04/10/23 18:37 (). As more information on this earthquake becomes available this article will be updated. This article is automatically composed based on data originating from multiple sources.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000ky6s
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20230806_0000003
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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