Post by : Rameen Ariff

At least 20 people were killed and more than 320 injured after a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan before dawn on Monday, leaving behind widespread devastation across the Balkh and Samangan provinces. The tremors, which hit around 12:59 a.m., were felt as far as Kabul and several nearby provinces.

According to officials from Afghanistan’s health ministry, most of the casualties were recorded in Balkh province, one of the worst-hit regions. Rescue teams and local residents were seen digging through debris to pull out survivors, as heartbreaking visuals from the site showed families mourning loved ones and emergency workers racing against time.

A video circulating on social media also showed partial damage to Afghanistan’s historic shrine of Mazar-e-Sharif, famously known as the Blue Mosque. The 15th-century landmark, renowned for its intricate blue-tiled architecture, suffered falling bricks and minor wall cracks but remained structurally intact. The mosque holds deep cultural and religious significance, serving as a key gathering place for major Islamic festivals.

Authorities reported that a rockslide triggered by the quake briefly blocked the main mountain highway connecting Kabul to Mazar-e-Sharif. The route was later cleared, and several injured individuals trapped along the highway were transported to nearby hospitals.

The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed the earthquake’s epicentre was 22 kilometres west-southwest of Khulm, at a depth of 28 kilometres. Yousaf Hammad, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s disaster management agency, stated that many of the injured sustained minor wounds and were discharged after initial treatment.

Afghanistan, surrounded by rugged mountain ranges, is one of the most seismically active regions in Asia. The country experiences frequent earthquakes, with an estimated 560 fatalities on average each year and damages worth nearly $80 million. Records show that over 350 significant quakes with magnitudes above 5.0 have struck Afghanistan since 1990.

As rescue operations continue, authorities have urged residents to remain alert for aftershocks. The tragedy adds to the growing list of natural disasters Afghanistan has faced in recent years, further straining its already fragile infrastructure and emergency response system.

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