5.5 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Afghanistan

An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 struck Afghanistan on Wednesday, as reported by the National Center for Seismology (NCS).In a post on X, it said that the earthquake occurred at 11:27 PM Indian Standard Time, at a depth of 173 kilometres."EQ of M: 5.5, On: 01/07/2026 23:27:00 IST, Lat: 36.443 N, Long: 70.391 E, Depth: 173 Km, Location: Afghanistan," the NCS said.There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties following the earthquake.Afghanistan frequently experiences earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush region, which lies in a highly active seismic zone, according to the Red Cross.Afghanistan's vulnerability to earthquakes is linked to its location along the collision zone between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. A major fault line also passes through parts of the country, including the Herat region.The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) notes that Afghanistan remains extremely vulnerable to natural disasters, including earthquakes, landslides and seasonal flooding. Repeated tremors worsen the situation for communities already struggling with decades of conflict and limited development, leaving them with minimal resilience to withstand multiple shocks.Meanwhile, rescue and relief operations remain underway in Venezuela after the deadly twin earthquake last week left over 1,900 people dead, according to official sources, CNN reported.As per the American broadcaster, National Assembly President Jorge Ramirez - the acting president's brother - on Tuesday announced that at least 1,943 had died, an increase of about 200 from the day before.However, the casualty figure is believed to be much larger. According to the US Geological Survey, there is a high likelihood that tens of thousands are dead.CNN reported that the United Nations' Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Venezuela, Gianluca Rampolla, said on Monday that the Venezuelan government and the UN are procuring 10,000 body bags in anticipation of more deaths.As Venezuelans in La Guaira continued to pick through the rubble of downed buildings yesterday, a government excavator stood immobile next to a pile of concrete and bent rebar.With plenty of work to do as the country reels in the aftermath of the earthquake, CNN further reported that when asked why the excavator was idle, the operator said there wasn't any gasoline to put in it. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)