October 25, 1990 Earthquake: Chitral, Mardan, Malakand, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Chitral, Mardan, Malakand, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan on October 25, 1990 at 04:53:59 UTC, 114 km below the surface. It killed 11 people.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- October 25, 1990
- Time
- 04:53:59 UTC
- Place
- Chitral, Mardan, Malakand, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan
- Magnitude
- 6 (mb)
- Focal depth
- 114 km (71 mi)
- Intensity
- 4 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 35.121° N, 70.486° E
- Country
- Afghanistan
The toll
- Deaths
- 11
- Injuries
- 250
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
1990, Oct 25. Eleven people killed, more then 250 injured and damage in the Chitrol-Mordon-Molokand area, Pakistan. Felt throughout northern and central Pakistan. Also felt in northwestern India. Felt (IV) at Ishkashim; (III) at Andizhan, Dushanbe, Dzhirgotal, Fergano, Khorog, Kulyab, Nurek and Tashkent; (II) at Samorkand. USSR. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- August 31, 2025, Kunar, Nangarhar, Afghanistan
- March 25, 2002, Baghlan, Nahrin, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan
- January 31, 1991, Badakhstan, Baghlan, Laghman, Nagarhar, Afghanistan
- February 19, 1842, Jalalabad, Afghanistan
- December 16, 1982, Northeastern, Afghanistan
- October 26, 2015, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan
- March 3, 2002, Samanghan, Kabul, Rustaq, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan
- June 11, 2012, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan
- February 11, 1999, Lowgar, Vardak, Kabul, Afghanistan
- July 13, 1990, Pik Lenina, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan
- December 30, 1983, Kabul, Samangan, Pakistan, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan
- April 16, 2009, Nangarhar, Afghanistan
- March 21, 2023, Laghman, Pakistan, Afghanistan
- April 24, 2013, Kama, Afghanistan
- March 19, 1997, Bajaur, Chitral, Pakistan
More
Significant earthquakes of 1990The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1990Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 5263.