Deadly Dawn Quake Rattles Northern Afghanistan, Claiming Dozens of Lives
A devastating 6.3-magnitude earthquake jolted northern Afghanistan in the early hours of Monday, claiming at least 20 lives and leaving more than 320 people injured near the bustling city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
The tremor, which originated at a shallow depth of 23 kilometers close to Mazar-i-Sharif and the nearby town of Khulm, struck around 1 a.m. local time, according to data from the National Center for Seismology (NCS). Its timing amplified the peril, as many residents were asleep in their homes.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued a stark alert, emphasizing the quake’s potential for widespread harm. “Significant casualties are likely, and the disaster is potentially widespread. Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response,” the USGS stated.
Initial reports from Samangan province, adjacent to Mazar-i-Sharif, painted a grim picture. “A total of 150 people injured and seven martyred have been reported and transferred to health centres as of this morning,” said Samim Joyanda, spokesperson for the provincial health department, in comments to Reuters.
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Subsequent updates from the Taliban health ministry raised the toll, confirming at least 20 fatalities and 320 injuries, according to AFP. These numbers stem from preliminary hospital data, with Afghanistan’s national disaster management authority promising fuller evaluations of deaths and structural damage in due course, Reuters noted.
Social media footage captured the chaos, depicting rescuers digging through collapsed structures to extract survivors and what appeared to be lifeless forms from the debris. Photographs also revealed toppled building fragments scattered across affected areas. Yet, the authenticity of this material remains unconfirmed.
Among the casualties was a cherished cultural site: the iconic 15th-century Blue Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif, renowned for its azure tiles and status as a rare draw for visitors. Debris from a shattered minaret now litters its courtyard, AFP reported.
Afghanistan’s seismic vulnerability has been starkly evident in recent years. Just months ago, in August 2025, a 6.0-magnitude quake ravaged the eastern provinces, including Kunar, where it struck at 11:47 p.m. local time on August 31. That disaster killed over 2,200 and wounded more than 2,800.
Two years earlier, in October 2023, a series of 6.3-magnitude tremors and aftershocks battered the Herat region, resulting in over 1,000 deaths and 2,400 injuries.
As emergency teams race against time in the quake’s aftermath, the fragile nation braces for the full scope of this latest tragedy to unfold.