Kabul, September 07 (H.S.): An earthquake jolted Afghanistan on Monday morning, with the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) in India recording its magnitude at 4.1 on the Richter scale. The earthquake occurred at 5:36:22 a.m. Indian Standard Time (IST).

According to the NCS, the epicentre of the earthquake was located at 36.114 degrees north latitude and 70.820 degrees east longitude, at a depth of 130 kilometres beneath the Earth's surface.

The seismic agency said there were no immediate reports of loss of life or property damage caused by the earthquake.

According to a report circulated by Afghanistan's Hasht-e Subh Daily, citing the United States Geological Survey (USGS), another earthquake had struck the Farkhar district of Takhar province on September 1. That earthquake measured 4.4 on the Richter scale.

Hasht-e Subh Daily reported that the September 1 earthquake occurred at 11:51 p.m. local time at a depth of 212.6 kilometres. Tremors were also felt in parts of Afghanistan, including the capital Kabul, in the early hours of September 2.

Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to earthquakes because of its geographical location in an active seismic zone. The country suffered extensive devastation following a 6.0-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan, including areas in Nangarhar province near Jalalabad and Kunar, on the night of August 31 and into September 1 last year.

The disaster claimed more than 2,200 lives and left over 3,600 people seriously injured. More than 6,700 houses were either completely destroyed or damaged in the earthquake and its aftermath.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar