KABUL: A strong earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck northern Afghanistan early Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring dozens more, officials and monitoring agencies said.
The tremor hit before dawn with its epicentre near Mazar-i-Sharif at a depth of 28 kilometres, according to the US Geological Survey. The shockwaves were powerful enough to rattle homes across the northern provinces and were also felt in Kabul, over 400 kilometres away.
Authorities in Samangan reported most of the casualties, with 12 confirmed dead and more than 140 injured. Many of those hurt were discharged after receiving treatment, officials said, adding that residential buildings and public sites had suffered damage.
Part of the historic Blue Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif, one of Afghanistan’s most visited landmarks, was also damaged, with debris seen scattered in its courtyard.
Residents described rushing outdoors as the ground shook violently. “It was terrifying. My house trembled and the windows shattered,” said Rahima, a resident of Mazar-i-Sharif.
The quake’s tremors were felt in neighbouring Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
Afghanistan, lying on a major fault line between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, experiences frequent earthquakes. In recent years, a series of severe tremors have killed thousands, including a 6.0-magnitude quake in August that devastated eastern districts.
The latest disaster adds to the country’s mounting humanitarian crisis as the Taliban government struggles with shortages of aid, food, and medical supplies.
