A powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early on Monday, leaving at least 20 people dead, hundreds injured, and causing significant damage to the city’s famed Blue Mosque, authorities said, warning that the death toll was expected to rise.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the tremor occurred at a depth of 28 kilometres (17.4 miles) close to Mazar-e Sharif, a city of around 523,000 residents known for its shrines and historic landmarks.
Mohammad Rahim, a resident of the nearby Tashqurghan district, described the quake as “a violent shaking that lasted about 15 seconds.”
“When we finally got outside, there was so much dust in the air that we couldn’t see anything,” he told Reuters, standing beside a collapsed building.
Rahim said his mother and brother were trapped beneath the rubble but were eventually rescued by locals and emergency workers.
Casualties and emergency response
Preliminary figures from the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority put the death toll at 20, with at least 643 people injured — 25 of them seriously.
“Our rescue and health teams have reached the affected area, and all nearby hospitals have been placed on standby to treat the injured,” said Health Ministry spokesperson Sharfat Zaman.
Footage released by the Afghan Ministry of Defence showed rescue teams digging through debris and pulling the body of a young girl from the rubble. Reuters was unable to independently verify the date and location of the footage.
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said on social media platform X that it was assisting with rescue efforts: “We stand with the affected communities and will provide the necessary support.”
India, which has sought to rebuild diplomatic ties with the Taliban following their 2021 takeover, also pledged assistance.
“Indian relief material for the earthquake-affected communities is being handed over today. Further supplies of medicines to reach soon,” India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar posted on X.
Damage to the Blue Mosque
The earthquake also damaged parts of the Blue Mosque — one of Afghanistan’s holiest sites, believed to be the resting place of the Prophet Mohammad’s cousin and son-in-law, said Haji Zaid, spokesperson for Balkh province. The mosque’s current structure dates back to the 15th century.
Footage verified by Reuters showed shattered masonry and tiles scattered across the courtyard, though the main building appeared to remain intact.
Mounting challenges
The disaster adds to a string of crises confronting Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, including a devastating August earthquake in the east that killed thousands, dwindling foreign aid, and the mass deportation of Afghan refugees from neighbouring countries.
The tremor also disrupted electricity supplies across the country, including in the capital, Kabul, according to Da Afghanistan Breshna Company, the national power provider.
Aid organisation Save the Children said the latest quake deepened the country’s humanitarian crisis just as winter approaches, when temperatures can fall below freezing.
“As temperatures drop, thousands of children in the earthquake-hit east are already facing the cold with only tents for shelter,” said Samira Sayed Rahman, the group’s programme development and advocacy director. “Now, families in the north are also gripped by fear and uncertainty after this latest powerful quake.”
Afghanistan sits on two major fault lines, making it highly prone to seismic activity. More than 2,200 people were killed and thousands injured after a series of earthquakes struck the country in late August.
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