Afghanistan: A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurs in southern Takhar Province at around 19:54 March 13

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred in southern Takhar Province at around 19:54 AFT March 13. The epicenter was about 45 km (28 miles) southeast of Farkhar. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 131 km (81 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout parts of eastern Afghanistan, southern Tajikistan, and northern Pakistan. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light aftershocks are likely 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.