Eight people were killed after an earthquake rattled parts of Afghanistan on Friday night. Tremors of the earthquake were also felt in parts of Pakistan as well as Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi in India. Eight people lost their lives as earthquake hit north and eastern parts of Afghanistan on night of April 3, 2026. (AFP)

Residents in parts of Delhi-NCR rushed out of their residences on due to the tremors on Friday night. Jolts were also felt in Uttar Pradesh's Noida and Ghaziabad among other cities.

In Pakistan, the quake was felt in cities and towns including Islamabad, Peshawar, Chitral, Swat, and Shangla, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the country.

What was the magnitude of the earthquake in Afghanistan? The northern and eastern parts of Afghanistan, where the quake occurred, are highly seismically active, and earthquakes have caused thousands of deaths in recent years, according to a PTI report.

On Friday, the earthquake measured 5.8 in magnitude. Its impact was significant, leaving eight people dead and injuring one child. The quake struck at a depth of 177 km (110 miles), the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said, according to Reuters.

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What was the epicentre of the quake? Friday’s earthquake had its epicentre in the Hindu Kush mountain range, about 150 kilometres (90 miles) east of the Afghan city of Kunduz, according to the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre and the US Geological Survey.

Fourth major earthquake in the last four years in Afghanistan Afghanistan has been dealing with major natural calamities. In August 2025, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck a remote mountainous part of eastern Afghanistan, killing more than 2,200 people, trapping residents under rubble. Most casualties were in Kunar province, where people typically live in wood and mud-brick houses along steep valleys.

In November the same year, another 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Samangan province in northern Afghanistan, killing at least 27 people and injuring more than 950. It also damaged historical sites, including Afghanistan’s famed Blue Mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif and the Bagh-e-Jahan Nama Palace in Khulm.

In October 2023, a 6.3-magnitude quake, followed by strong aftershocks in western Afghanistan, killed thousands.