On Tuesday, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake with its epicenter in northeastern Afghanistan on the border with Pakistan caused at least 13 deaths between the two countries. The earthquake occurred in the mountainous Hindu Kush region, at the confluence of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. But the depth of 187 kilometers mitigated the potential damage a shallower quake could have caused.

In Afghanistan, the authorities counted four dead, including a baby of several months. “While we were dating, a wall came down. One of our children lost his life and three others were injured,” Abdul Baseer, the father of the baby who died in Laghman province, told AFP.

Another 75 people were injured in Afghanistan, where about 150 homes also partially or completely collapsed as a result of the quake, said Jair Mohamad Ghazi, director of disaster management. Phone and internet connections were cut during the earthquake.

The earthquake, which lasted 30 seconds, killed nine people in Pakistan. “It was a powerful earthquake and we feared maximum damage due to its intensity, so we issued a warning,” Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for Pakistan’s emergency service 1122, told AFP.

“Fortunately, our fear turned out to be wrong. Residents were panicked by the magnitude of the quake, but damage was minimal,” the official said.

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said health centers across the country remain on high alert.