KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A powerful, 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook northern Afghanistan before dawn Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 500 others, a health official said, adding that the numbers could increase.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was located 22 kilometers (14 miles) west-southwest of the town of Khulm, and that it struck at 12:59 a.m. at a depth of 28 kilometers (17 miles).
Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, said 534 injured people and 20 bodies had been brought to hospitals in Balkh and Samangan provinces. Rescuers were on the scene and the figures were changing, he added.
In the nearby province of Badakhshan, the quake partially or completely destroyed 800 houses in one village in the Shahr-e-Bozorg district, said Ihsanullah Kamgar, spokesperson for the provincial police headquarters. But with a lack of internet in the remote area, there were still no accurate casualty figures, he added.
Yousaf Hammad, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s disaster management agency, said most of the injured suffered minor wounds and were discharged after treatment.
In the Afghan capital of Kabul, the Ministry of Defense announced that rescue and emergency teams had reached the quake areas in Balkh and Samangan, which suffered the most damage, and were transporting the injured and assisting others.
The Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, posted on X that the earthquake caused casualties and financial loss. He said government organizations were working to get the needed help.
According to the Afghan officials, the earthquake was also felt in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, where footage on social media showed damage to the historic Blue Mosque. Several bricks had fallen from the walls, but the mosque remained intact. The centuries-old site is one of Afghanistan’s most revered religious landmarks and a major gathering place during Islamic and cultural festivals.
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The quake was felt in Kabul and several other provinces. The Defense Ministry said that a rockslide briefly blocked a main mountain highway linking Kabul with Mazar-e-Sharif, but the road was later reopened. It said some people who were injured and trapped along the highway were transported to the hospital.
The United Nations in Afghanistan said on X that Monday’s temblor came just weeks after a deadly earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan. The U.N. said its teams were on the ground assessing needs and delivering urgent aid.
“We stand with the affected communities and will provide the necessary support,” the post said.
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan on Aug. 31 near the border with Pakistan, killing more than 2,200 people. On Oct. 7, 2023, a magnitude 6.3 quake, followed by strong aftershocks, left at least 4,000 people dead, according to the Taliban government.
The impoverished country often faces difficulty in responding to such natural disasters, especially in remote regions. Buildings tend to be low-rise constructions, mostly of concrete and brick, with homes in rural and outlying areas made from mud bricks and wood, many poorly built.
