At least 20 people have been confirmed dead and more than 320 others injured after a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan early Monday, local authorities said.
The quake occurred near Mazar-e-Sharif, one of Afghanistan’s largest cities with a population of about 500,000, at approximately 1:00 a.m. local time (20:30 GMT). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the tremor had a depth of 28 kilometers (17 miles) and issued an orange alert, suggesting a high likelihood of significant casualties and damage.
Sharafat Zaman Amar, spokesperson for the Taliban-run Ministry of Health, warned that the death toll could rise as rescue and recovery operations continue. Provincial officials said hundreds of homes had been destroyed or severely damaged, with emergency teams still searching through rubble.
In Balkh province, Taliban spokesman Haji Zaid said many victims were injured after falling from buildings in panic. “Many people are injured in the Sholgara district,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter), noting that while most injuries were minor, they were widespread.
Footage shared by local officials showed debris scattered around the historic Blue Mosque, one of Mazar-e-Sharif’s most prominent landmarks and a major pilgrimage site believed to house the tomb of the first Shia Imam.
Residents described scenes of fear and confusion as the ground shook violently. “Everyone ran outside. The ground was shaking so hard,” one local resident told reporters.
Authorities in neighboring Samangan province also reported several deaths and extensive damage to mountain villages near the epicenter.
The disaster comes just weeks after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan in late August, killing more than 1,000 people and devastating rural communities where mud and timber homes collapsed easily.
Afghanistan sits on major tectonic fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian plates collide, making it one of the world’s most earthquake-prone regions.
