A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan overnight, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 500, authorities said Monday.
The quake hit at a depth of 28km near Mazar-i-Sharif, the US Geological Survey reported, jolting residents awake and sending many rushing into the streets.
Health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman told reporters that 534 people had been wounded, with fatalities recorded in Samangan and Balkh provinces.
In Mazar-i-Sharif, parts of the historic Blue Mosque were damaged, including pieces of a minaret that crashed onto the courtyard. Shaking was also felt in the capital Kabul, around 420km to the south.
The Taliban government said rescue teams cleared the road linking Mazar-i-Sharif to Kholm, where people had been stranded overnight, and confirmed that numerous homes were destroyed, resulting in “significant material losses.”
The disaster adds to the strain on Afghanistan’s limited emergency response capacity. Since taking power in 2021, the Taliban has grappled with three major deadly quakes, while international aid — once crucial to the economy — has significantly declined.
In August, a shallow quake in eastern Afghanistan flattened villages and killed more than 2,200 people, causing an estimated $183 million in damage, according to the World Bank.
Afghanistan sits along major tectonic fault lines, and frequent quakes — combined with poorly constructed homes across rural areas scarred by decades of conflict — often lead to high casualties.
The country is already battling a deepening humanitarian crisis driven by drought, banking restrictions, and the forced return of Afghans from Iran and Pakistan. The UN has warned that millions face rising hunger.
