In brief
An earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale rocked northern Afghanistan near the city of Mazar-e Sharif. The quake, which occurred at a depth of 28km, was followed by concerns of significant casualties. Reports indicate that injuries mostly stemmed from individuals falling from buildings, as residents hurriedly evacuated their homes. Various damage has been reported, including debris at local landmarks. Afghanistan remains at risk for earthquakes due to its position along major tectonic fault lines.
An earthquake has struck northern Afghanistan near Mazar-e Sharif, one of the country's largest cities around 20:30 GMT (01:00 local time). The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.3 and a depth of 28km (17 miles), according to the US Geological Survey. The agency also warned of 'significant casualties' and 'potentially widespread' disaster.Writing in a post on X around 02:00 local time (21:30 GMT), a Taliban spokesman in Balkh, of which Mazar-e Sharif is the capital, said they had received 'reports of minor injuries and superficial damages from all districts of the province'. Most of the injuries were caused by people falling from tall buildings, as many residents rushed to the streets fearing their homes would collapse.The Taliban spokesman in Balkh also posted a video on X appearing to show debris strewn across the ground at the Blue Mosque, a local landmark in Mazar-e Sharif. The religious complex is believed to house the tomb of the first Shia Imam, serving as a site where pilgrims gather to pray or celebrate religious events.This earthquake follows a deadly 6.0 magnitude quake that struck Afghanistan's mountainous eastern region in late August, resulting in over 1,000 fatalities. Afghanistan's geographical placement makes it highly susceptible to seismic activities due to its location atop several fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge.
