Afghanistan: A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurs in Balkh Province Feb. 18

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred in Balkh Province at around 15:50 Feb. 18. The epicenter was about 30 km (18 miles miles) west-southwest of Mazar-e-Sharif. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and weak-to-light shaking was probably felt in areas near the epicenter, as well as in parts of northern Afghanistan, southeastern Turkmenistan, southern Uzbekistan, and southwestern Tajikistan. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake, and significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light aftershocks are possible over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.