# M4.6 Earthquake Strikes Near Ashkāsham, Afghanistan

Ashkāsham, Afghanistan — A magnitude 4.6 earthquake shook the mountains of northeastern Afghanistan early Thursday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

What happened: The quake struck at 5:07 AM Central Time (10:07 AM local time) on October 22, 2026, centered about 11 kilometers — 7 miles — west of Ashkāsham in Badakhshan province. It was a deep quake, originating roughly 175 kilometers (109 miles) below the surface.

Impacts: Deep earthquakes like this one usually produce gentler shaking at the surface, and the USGS has issued no tsunami alert and no alert level for this event. No damage reports have surfaced so far. Badakhshan sits in one of the most seismically active corners of the world, where the Indian and Eurasian plates grind together.

What to do:

- If you feel shaking, drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy table, and hold on.

- After the shaking stops, check for hazards like cracked walls, gas smells, or fallen power lines.

- Stay alert for aftershocks — they can follow for hours or days.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), October 22, 2026.