A powerful earthquake struck northern Afghanistan overnight, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 500 others, authorities confirmed on Monday.
The 6.3-magnitude quake hit at a depth of 28 kilometres (17 miles) with its epicentre near the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
“Based on the information we have so far, 534 people have been injured and more than 20 fatalities have been taken to hospitals in Samangan and Balkh provinces,” Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman told journalists.
Residents in Mazar-i-Sharif, one of Afghanistan’s largest cities, were seen fleeing into the streets as tremors rocked homes and public buildings. The city’s famous Blue Mosque, a centuries-old landmark known for its distinctive turquoise tiles, suffered visible damage, with parts of its minaret collapsing onto the mosque’s grounds.
Shaking was also felt as far away as the capital, Kabul about 420 kilometres to the south according to residents and reporters.
‘Significant Material Losses’
Taliban officials said the quake caused widespread destruction in several northern communities. Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban government, said on X (formerly Twitter) that “numerous homes have been destroyed, and significant material losses have been incurred.”
The Defence Ministry reported that rescue teams had reopened the main highway linking Mazar-i-Sharif with the town of Kholm, which had been blocked by debris. Several people trapped overnight were also rescued, it said.
Poor communication networks and the rugged terrain of Afghanistan have historically hindered emergency responses, often leaving remote villages cut off for days following disasters.
Repeated Tragedies
This latest disaster adds to a series of devastating earthquakes that have struck Afghanistan in recent years. In August, a 6.0-magnitude tremor in the country’s east flattened mountain villages and killed more than 2,200 people.
According to the World Bank, that quake caused an estimated $183 million in damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Afghanistan sits along the seismically active Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet, making it one of the most earthquake-prone regions in Asia. Major quakes in Herat in 2023 and Nangarhar in 2022 claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed thousands of homes.
Mounting Humanitarian Strain
The quake comes as Afghanistan continues to grapple with a severe humanitarian crisis. Years of conflict, economic sanctions, drought, and dwindling foreign aid have left millions in desperate need.
The United Nations and aid organisations have warned that hunger and displacement are worsening, especially as returning refugees from Iran and Pakistan add pressure to already strained resources.
The Taliban government has appealed for international assistance, but global engagement has remained limited since the group’s return to power in 2021.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing as authorities assess the full scale of the damage across Balkh and Samangan provinces.