Significant earthquakes of 2002

April 12, 2002 Earthquake: Do Abi-Nahrin, Tajikistan, Afghanistan

April 12, 2002 · M5.9 · 50 deaths · 160 houses destroyed

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Do Abi-Nahrin, Tajikistan, Afghanistan on April 12, 2002 at 04:00:23 UTC, 10 km below the surface. It killed 50 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
April 12, 2002
Time
04:00:23 UTC
Place
Do Abi-Nahrin, Tajikistan, Afghanistan
Magnitude
5.9 (Mw)
Focal depth
10 km (6 mi)
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
39.959° N, 69.417° E
Country
Tajikistan

The toll

Deaths
50
Injuries
150
Damage
Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
Houses destroyed
160
Houses damaged
160; 250 with its tsunami and other effects

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.

At least 50 people killed, 150 injured, 160 houses destroyed and 250 damaged in the Do Abi-Nahrin area. Landslides blocked a road to Nahrin. Felt at Kabul. Felt at Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar, Pakistan. Also felt at Dushanbe, Tajikistan. (reference #150)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 2002The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2002Recent 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 5629.