A magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes near Jurm in Afghanistan on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The quake’s epicenter is reported near Jurm, with USGS data placing it at a depth of about 216.7 km (134.65 miles), describing it as a deep-focus earthquake. Deep-focus events can be felt over a wider area while typically causing less surface damage than shallow earthquakes.
All reports note that there are no immediate public accounts of casualties or damage following the Wednesday tremor. One outlet also places the quake in context of recent seismic activity in the region, saying it comes days after a stronger earthquake hit Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush area on Saturday. That earlier quake was measured at magnitude 6 by the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre, and was reported to have been felt in Kabul and in parts of Pakistan.
