WHAT MAKES AFGHANISTAN SO PRONE TO EARTHQUAKES?, Pg13.

Key Highlights:

• A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan, resulting in at least 7 deaths and 150 injuries.
• Afghanistan experiences frequent tremors due to its location on the edge of the Eurasian tectonic plate.
• Studies indicate at least 355 earthquakes with a magnitude higher than 5.0 have hit Afghanistan since 1990.
• Eastern and northeastern Afghanistan, including Kabul, are particularly vulnerable to earthquakes.

tectonic-plates.png

Detailed Insights:

• Afghanistan's location is at a transgression zone with the Indian plate and is influenced by the Arabian plate, making it tectonically active.
• The northward movement of the Indian plate against the Eurasian plate is a primary cause of earthquakes in Afghanistan.
• Since 1900, Afghanistan has recorded around 100 damaging earthquakes, with significant devastation in 1998 due to two major quakes.
• Earthquake-resistant construction, retrofitting existing buildings, and improved monitoring systems are recommended to enhance resilience.
• Vulnerable areas require mapping of fault lines using geospatial and remote sensing technologies to facilitate relocation efforts.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Tectonic Plates: Sections of the Earth's crust that move and interact, causing earthquakes and other geological phenomena.
• Magnitude: A measure of the energy released by an earthquake, typically using the Richter scale.
• Fault Lines: Fractures in the Earth’s crust where movement occurs, often the sites of earthquakes.