Afghanistan: At least 27 killed and nearly 1,000 injured in 6.3 magnitude earthquake
The earthquake shook the north of the country, damaging historic sites, destroying buildings and cutting power supplies in the Balkh and Samangan provinces.
A victim of the earthquake in Afghanistan
Afghanistan's Health Ministry updated the death toll from the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan: at least 27 dead and 956 injured. The previous toll was 20 dead and 530 injured.
The ministry spokesman in charge of the new balance sheet also announced the end of rescue operations. He also detailed that most of the victims were in the provinces of Balkh and Samangan, the most affected.
The Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture stated that, according to preliminary reports, "several historical and cultural sites" had suffered "partial damage." Among them was the 15th-century Blue Mosque, according to testimony from local authorities. The famous temple is an emblem of the country and one of the most revered in the Islamic religion.
"All the houses were destroyed and there were injuries," Ahmad Khan, a resident of Tashqurghan village in Kholm district, told AFP as people searched through the rubble hours after the quake. "We ask the government to help us with reconstruction," he added.
The quake struck early Monday with an epicenter in Kholm, in Samangan province, and had a depth of 28 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Aftershocks reached as far as the capital, Kabul, and several provinces suffered power outages.
Afghanistan, a frequent victim of earthquakes
It was the deadliest earthquake in Afghanistan's recent history.
The country is frequently hit by earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range, located near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
Afghanistan has faced several earthquakes since the Taliban retook power in 2021, including one in the Herat region bordering Iran in 2023, which left more than 1,500 dead and destroyed more than 63,000 homes.
And since 1900, northeastern Afghanistan has recorded 12 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 7, according to Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey.
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