A significant MAG-5.3 earthquake struck under land 58 kilometer from Fayzabad in Afghanistan in the morning of Saturday April 18th, 2026. Other countries near the epicenter include Tajikistan and Pakistan.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Afghanistan, 58 kilometer (36 mi) south of Fayzabad in Badakhshan. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 199 km.
| Date and Time: | Apr 18, 2026 07:24AM (Kabul Time) - Apr 18, 2026 02:54 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 58 km south of Fayzabad, Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Coordinates 36°37'12"N 70°47'14"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.3 Detected by 13 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.086 . |
| Depth: | 199 km (124 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.
Fayzabad in Badakhshan, Afghanistan is the nearest significant place from the epicenter. The earthquake occurred 58 kilometer (36 mi) south of Fayzabad.
Major cities near this earthquake: Kabul is located 275 km to the southwest. Peshawar is located 299 km to the south. Dushanbe is located 277 km to the northwest.
The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 58 km (36 mi) N from epicenter |
Fayzabad Badakhshan, Afghanistan. |
| 75 km (47 mi) E from epicenter |
Ishqoshim Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan. |
| 102 km (63 mi) NW from epicenter |
Rustāq Takhar, Afghanistan. |
| 112 km (70 mi) W from epicenter |
Taloqan Takhar, Afghanistan. |
| 118 km (73 mi) NE from epicenter |
Khorugh Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan. |
| 127 km (79 mi) NW from epicenter |
Ārt Khwājah Takhar, Afghanistan. |
| 146 km (91 mi) NW from epicenter |
Chubek Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 150 km (93 mi) W from epicenter |
Khanabad Kunduz, Afghanistan. |
| 156 km (97 mi) NW from epicenter |
Farkhor Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 160 km (99 mi) SW from epicenter |
Nahrīn Baghlan, Afghanistan. |
| 166 km (103 mi) NW from epicenter |
Hulbuk Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 169 km (105 mi) NW from epicenter |
Kŭlob Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 173 km (107 mi) W from epicenter |
Kunduz Kunduz, Afghanistan. |
| 182 km (113 mi) SE from epicenter |
Thal Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 184 km (114 mi) S from epicenter |
Āsmār Kunar, Afghanistan. |
| 185 km (115 mi) SE from epicenter |
Upper Dir Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 185 km (115 mi) SW from epicenter |
Bāzārak Panjshir, Afghanistan. |
| 190 km (118 mi) W from epicenter |
Qarāwul Kunduz, Afghanistan. |
| 194 km (121 mi) W from epicenter |
Baghlān Baghlan, Afghanistan. |
| 197 km (122 mi) S from epicenter |
Asadābād Kunar, Afghanistan. |
| 200 km (124 mi) SW from epicenter |
Pul-e Khumrī Baghlan, Afghanistan. |
| 208 km (129 mi) NW from epicenter |
Danghara Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 212 km (132 mi) NW from epicenter |
Vakhsh Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 217 km (135 mi) NW from epicenter |
Kolkhozobod Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 218 km (135 mi) SW from epicenter |
Jabal os Saraj Parwan, Afghanistan. |
| 223 km (139 mi) S from epicenter |
Mehtar Lām Laghman, Afghanistan. |
| 224 km (139 mi) NW from epicenter |
Moskovskiy Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 224 km (139 mi) NW from epicenter |
Bokhtar Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 230 km (143 mi) SW from epicenter |
Charikar Parwan, Afghanistan. |
| 235 km (146 mi) NW from epicenter |
Norak Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 244 km (152 mi) NW from epicenter |
Yovon Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 246 km (153 mi) S from epicenter |
Jalālābād Nangarhar, Afghanistan. |
| 247 km (153 mi) SE from epicenter |
Bat Khela Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 249 km (155 mi) SE from epicenter |
Mingora Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 251 km (156 mi) W from epicenter |
Aībak Samangan, Afghanistan. |
| 266 km (165 mi) NW from epicenter |
Vahdat Republican Subordination, Tajikistan. |
| 270 km (168 mi) S from epicenter |
Tangi Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 270 km (168 mi) NW from epicenter |
Boshkengash Dushanbe, Tajikistan. |
| 275 km (171 mi) SW from epicenter |
Kabul Kabul, Afghanistan. |
| 276 km (171 mi) S from epicenter |
Shabqadar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 276 km (171 mi) W from epicenter |
Khulm Balkh, Afghanistan. |
| 277 km (172 mi) S from epicenter |
Markaz-e Woluswalī-ye Āchīn Nangarhar, Afghanistan. |
| 277 km (172 mi) NW from epicenter |
Dushanbe Dushanbe, Tajikistan. |
| 280 km (174 mi) SW from epicenter |
Paghmān Kabul, Afghanistan. |
| 285 km (177 mi) S from epicenter |
Utmanzai Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 288 km (179 mi) S from epicenter |
Charsadda Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 289 km (180 mi) NW from epicenter |
Hisor Republican Subordination, Tajikistan. |
| 293 km (182 mi) SE from epicenter |
Mardan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 296 km (184 mi) SE from epicenter |
Battagram Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
| 299 km (186 mi) S from epicenter |
Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. |
Shaking reported by 5 people in 3 countries
People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 5 people have reported shaking in 4 places in 3 countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan).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: 2 people.
- Islamabad, Federal Capital Area, Pakistan: 1 person.
- Jhelum, Punjab, Pakistan: 1 person.
- Tashkent, Taschkent, Uzbekistan: 1 person.
Aftershocks detected
This main shock was followed by 1 smaller aftershock. Just 22 mins after this main shock, an earthquake measuring MAG-4.5 was detected 12 km (8 mi) south-east of this earthquake.
This main shock was prefaced by 1 smaller foreshock. A 4.3 magnitude earthquake hit 3 days earlier nearby.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 4.3 |
3 days earlier Apr 15, 2026 08:30AM (Kabul Time) | 55 km (34 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock This Earthquake |
M 5.3 |
Apr 18, 2026 07:24AM (Kabul Time) | - |
| Aftershock | M 4.5 |
22 mins later Apr 18, 2026 07:46AM (Kabul Time) | 12 km (8 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
More earthquakes coming?
The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.
The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk
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. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since April 3rd, 2026, when a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit 10 km (6 mi) further south-east. An even stronger magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck on February 23rd, 2023.
In total, 44 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 199 km (124 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 19/04/26 00:58 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000sr1e
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260418_0000048
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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