Tragedy Strikes Afghanistan: 20 Confirmed Dead After 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake

Tue Nov 04 2025 04:02:50 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A powerful earthquake near Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, has left at least 20 people dead and hundreds injured. Rescue operations are ongoing as local authorities express concern that the death toll may rise.

An earthquake measuring 6.3 struck northern Afghanistan, causing significant casualties in Mazar-e-Sharif. The tremor occurred at 1:00 AM local time, leaving at least 20 people dead and more than 530 injured. The Taliban government has reported that rescue efforts continue, and local officials anticipate further casualties as damage reports come in from the affected areas.

At least 20 people have died after an earthquake struck northern Afghanistan, local authorities say, with the toll expected to rise as rescue efforts continue.

Hundreds have also been left injured, local officials told the BBC.

The earthquake struck near Mazar-e-Sharif, one of the country's largest cities that is home to about 500,000 people, at around 01:00 local time on Monday, (20:30 GMT on Sunday).

It had a magnitude of 6.3 and a depth of 28km (17 miles), according to the US Geological Survey, with the potential for significant casualties marked at the orange alert level.

More than 530 people have been reported injured by the Taliban government health ministry, and provincial officials have warned that casualties could increase as rescue operations continue.

Haji Zaid, a Taliban spokesman in Balkh province, noted that many injuries reported were due to people falling from tall buildings as residents fled into the streets out of fear of collapsing structures.

The quake has also disrupted power supply across Afghanistan, including in Kabul, after damages were inflicted on power lines from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, significant sources of electricity for the nation.

Images from social media show damage at the Blue Mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif, which attracts numerous pilgrims and is a revered site for Shia Muslims.

Afghanistan is situated on several fault lines, making it highly susceptible to earthquakes. This latest quake follows another major tremor in August that killed over 1,100 people, highlighting the ongoing challenges the country faces in disaster response and infrastructure resilience.