More than 800 dead following Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake in eastern Afghanistan.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake at a depth of 8 km, roughly 27 km to the northeast of the city of Jalālābād in Nangarhar Province, eastern Afghanistan, slightly after 11.45 pm local time (slightly after 7.15 pm GMT) on Sunday 31 August 2025. The quake was felt across eastern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan, as well as in parts of northern India, and is reported to have completely destroyed several villages in Kunar Province, on the border with Pakistan. At the time of writing, more than 800 people have been confirmed to have died, with that number expected to rise significantly over the coming days. A further 2500 people are known to have been injured by the event, and the Taliban government of Afghanistan is appealing to the international community for help with rescue and reconstruction efforts.

The approximate location of the 31 August 2025 Afghanistan Earthquake. USGS.

The boundary between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates runs close to northern Afghanistan. The Indian Plate is moving northward relative to the Eurasian Plate, causing folding and uplift along this boundary, which has led to the formation of the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan, the Himalayas and the other mountain ranges of Central Asia., and which makes the nations in this boundary zone prone to Earthquakes.

Plate boundaries and movements beneath southern Pakistan, Iran and the Arabian Sea. University of Southampton.

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Magnitude 6.8 earthquake in southern Tibet kills at least 126 people.

The China Earthquake Networks Center recorded a Magnitude 6.8 Earthquake at a depth of 10 km beneath Tingri County in southern Tibet, close to Mount Everest and the border with Tibet at about 9.05 am local time on Tuesday 7 January 2025 (about 1.05 am, GMT). The Earthquake was felt across southern Tibet, eastern Nepal, western Bhutan, northeastern India and northern Bangladesh. More than 150 aftershocks have been recorded since the original event.

The approximate location of the 7 January 2025 Tibet Earthquake. USGS.

At the time of writing rescue workers have reported 126 deaths and 188 people injured in Tibet and another five injuries in Nepal. However, the number of casualties is likely to rise significantly, as the population in the area around the epicentre of the Earthquake largely live in small, remote villages, largely cut off from the outside world, and which are subsequently difficult for rescue workers to reach. To make matters worse, daytime temperatures in the area average -8°C at this time of year, falling to -18°C at night. More than a thousand homes have been damaged or destroyed in areas that rescue workers have managed to reach, so is likely that in other areas people may have lost  their homes or be trapped beneath debris, vulnerable to the cold.

Rescue workers in Tingri County, Tibet, following a Magnitude 6.8 Earthquake on Tuesday 7 January 2024. Xinhua/AP.

Earthquake activity in the area is caused by the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, due to the impact of India into Eurasia to the south. he Indian Plate is moving northwards at a rate of 5 cm per year, causing it to impact into Eurasia, which is also moving northward, but only at a rate of 2 cm per year. The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates has led to the formation of the Himalayan Mountains, the Tibetan Plateau, and the mountains of southwest China, Central Asia and the Hindu Kush.

Block diagram showing how the impact of the Indian Plate into Eurasia is causing uplift on the Tibetan Plateau. Jayne Doucette/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Much of Tibet and neighbouring areas of Central Asia and the Himalayas, are prone to Earthquakes caused by the impact of the Indian Plate into Eurasia from the south. When two tectonic plates collide in this way and one or both are oceanic then one will be subducted beneath the other (if one of the plates is continental then the other will be subducted), but if both plates are continental then subduction will not fully occur, but instead the plates will crumple, leading to folding and uplift (and quite a lot of Earthquakes). The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates has lead to the formation of the Himalayan Mountains, the Tibetan Plateau, and the mountains of southwest China, Central Asia and the Hindu Kush.

The movement of India into Eurasia over the last 71 million years. USGS.

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Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake on the border between China and Kyrgyzstan.

The China Earthquake Networks Center recorded a Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake at a depth of 22 km beneath Wushi County in western Xinjiang Province, China, close to the border with Kyrgyzstan slightly before 2.10 am local time on Tuesday 23 January 2024 (slightly before 6.10 pm on Monday 22 January, GMT). The are no reports of any damage or injuries associated with this event at the time of writing, although people have reported feeling it across much of eastern Kyrgystan.

The approximate location of the 23 January 2024 Xinjiang/Kyrgyzstan border region Earthquake. USGS.

The Tian Shan Mountains stretch for 2500 km across Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The Tian Shan are part of the Himalayan Orogenic Belt, mountains in Central Asia pushed upwards by the collision of India and Asia. The Indian Plate is currently pushing into the Eurasian Plate from the south at a rate of 3 cm per year. Since both are continental plates, which do not subduct, the Eurasian Plate is folding and buckling, causing uplift in the Himalayas and other mountains of Central Asia. This is not a smooth process, the rocks will remain effectively stationary for log periods of time while pressure builds up, then give suddenly, releasing large amounts of energy in the form of Earthquakes.

The movement of India relative to Asia, and the blocks within the eastern part if the Eurasian Plate. University of Wollongong.

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Magnitude 6.2 Earthquake in Gansu Province, China, results in at least 126 deaths.

The China Earthquake Networks Center recorded a Magnitude 6.2 Earthquake at a depth of about 10 km, beneath Jishishan County in Gansu Province, slightly before midnight local time (slightly before 4.00 pm GMT) on Monday 18 December 2023. One hundred and thirteen people have been reported dead in Gansu Province following this event, with thirteen fatalities in neighbouring Qinghai Province. Another 597 people have been reported injured in the two provinces, and 20 more missing. Around 155 000 homes have been damaged, with widespread loss of power in the region, which making conditions extremely difficult in an area where night-time temperatures regularly fall below -10°C at this time of year.

Damage to buildings in Jishishan County, Gansu, following a Magnitude 6.2 Earthquake on Monday 18 December 2023. AFP/Getty Images.

Much of western China and neighbouring areas of Central Asia and the Himalayas, are prone to Earthquakes caused by the impact of the Indian Plate into Eurasia from the south. The Indian Plate is moving northwards at a rate of 5 cm per year, causing it to impact into Eurasia, which is also moving northward, but only at a rate of 2 cm per year. When two tectonic plates collide in this way and one or both are oceanic then one will be subducted beneath the other (if one of the plates is continental then the other will be subducted), but if both plates are continental then subduction will not fully occur, but instead the plates will crumple, leading to folding and uplift (and quite a lot of Earthquakes). The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates has lead to the formation of the Himalayan Mountains, the Tibetan Plateau, and the mountains of southwest China, Central Asia and the Hindu Kush.

Tectonic map of Asia, showing relationships between the India–Asia collision, escape of Indonesian and South China blocks seaward, and extension from Siberia to the Pacific margin. (Note also the opening of back-arc basins including the Sea of Japan and the South China Sea, and extension in the Bohai Basin and eastern part of the NCC.) The North China Craton is also strongly influenced by Pacific and palaeo-Pacific subduction, perhaps also inducing extension in the eastern NCC. The palaeo Pacific and Pacific subduction zones developed in the Mesozoic, and also contributed to the hydration of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle beneath the NCC. Kusky et al. (2007).

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At least 157 people dead following Magnitude 5.7 Earthquake in Jajarkot District, Nepal.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 5.7 Earthquake at a depth of 16.5 km, in Jajarkot District, Nepal slightly after 11.45 pm local time, (slightly after 6.00 pm GMT) on Friday 3 November 2023. At the time of writing 157 people have been confirmed dead following the event, and 184 injured, with many more made homeless as large numbers of mud-brick buildings collapsed in the region. Such buildings are particularly vulnerable to Earthquakes as the bricks often liquefy, trapping people inside and quickly asphyxiating them with dust. This is particularly dangerous at night when the majority of people are inside sleeping.

Damage caused by an Earthquake in the west of Nepal on 3 November 2023. EPA/EFA/Rex/Shutterstock.

Earthquake activity in Nepal is caused by the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, due to the impact of India into Eurasia to the south. The Indian Plate is moving northwards at a rate of 5 cm per year, causing it to impact into Eurasia, which is also moving northward, but only at a rate of 2 cm per year. The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates has led to the formation of the Himalayan Mountains, the Tibetan Plateau, and the mountains of southwest China, Central Asia and the Hindu Kush.

Block diagram showing how the impact of the Indian Plate into Eurasia is causing uplift on the Tibetan Plateau. Jayne Doucette/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Much of northern India and neighbouring areas of Central Asia and the Himalayas, are prone to Earthquakes, caused by the impact of the Indian Plate into Eurasia from the south. When two tectonic plates collide in this way and one or both are oceanic then one will be subducted beneath the other (if one of the plates is continental then the other will be subducted), but if both plates are continental then subduction will not fully occur, but instead the plates will crumple, leading to folding and uplift (and quite a lot of Earthquakes). The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates has led to the formation of the Himalayan Mountains, the Tibetan Plateau, and the mountains of southwest China, Central Asia and the Hindu Kush.

The movement of India into Eurasia over the last 71 million years. USGS.

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Magnitude 6.3 Earthquake to the northeast of Herat, Afghanistan.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 6.3 Earthquake at a depth of 9 km, roughly 28 km to the northeast of the city of Herat in northeast Afghanistan, slightly after 5.10 am local time (slightly after 12. 40 am GMT) on Wednesday 11 October 2023. The event is reported to have led to at least one death and 150 injuries, and occurred only four days after another Earthquake of similar Magnitude to the northeast of Herat, which is now known to have killed over 2000 people, and which has left hospital supplies in the region dangerously low. Building collapses are a particular danger in Afghanistan as many buildings are made of mud bricks, which can liquify in Earthquakes, forming a fine dust which asphyxiates people trapped beneath fallen structures.

The approximate location of the 11 October 2023 Herat Earthquake. USGS.

The boundary between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates runs close to northern Afghanistan. The Indian Plate is moving northward relative to the Eurasian Plate, causing folding and uplift along this boundary, which has led to the formation of the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan, the Himalayas and the other mountain ranges of Central Asia., and which makes the nations in this boundary zone prone to Earthquakes.

Plate boundaries and movements beneath southern Pakistan, Iran and the Arabian Sea. University of Southampton.

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