Kabul: At least 27 people were killed and hundreds of others wounded after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan at around 1 am local time on Monday (2030GMT Sunday), officials said. The quake impacted several northern provinces, including Balkh, Samangan, Sar-e-Pul, Baghlan, and Kunduz, injuring 730 people, official Bakhtar News reported.
According to Anadolu Agency, most of the casualties were reported in northern Samangan and Balkh provinces. The earthquake caused "severe human casualties and heavy financial losses," as reported by the Afghan Red Crescent Society. Search and rescue operations are ongoing to find survivors. Mazar-e-Sharif, the provincial capital of Balkh, also reported casualties and property damage, including to the historic Rawza Mubarak.
Damages have also been reported in northwestern Baghlan province. Around 800 houses were partially destroyed in Chogani village of Shahr-e-Bozorg district of Badakhshan province. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 28 kilometers (17.4 miles) near Mazar-e-Sharif, one of the country's largest cities, according to the US Geological Survey. Authorities have ordered all hospitals to be fully prepared to provide health services to the victims.
The tremor affected electricity supply lines from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, cutting off services to several regions. The national power utility, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), reported that lines from Naibabad to Samangan and from Khulm to Pul-e-Khumri were disrupted. Consequently, provinces such as Kabul, Baghlan, Parwan, Panjshir, Kapisa, Logar, Paktia, Ghazni, and Maidan Wardak were deprived of imported power. Technical teams are working to restore electricity, and services have been restored in some regions.
The Defense Ministry is clearing roads blocked by landslides triggered by the earthquake. Afghanistan has experienced at least eight major earthquakes since the Taliban's return to power in 2021. In August, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck the eastern Kunar province, killing more than 2,200 people and causing significant property damage.
In response to the quake, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed condolences on social media, extending support to the Afghan people. India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar communicated with his Afghan counterpart about Indian relief efforts, including the provision of medicines. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also extended condolences and expressed Japan's readiness to assist those affected.