Mazar-e Sharif rocked by deadly 6.3 magnitude Afghanistan earthquake
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck early Monday near Mazar-e Sharif in northern Afghanistan, resulting in at least 10 confirmed deaths and injuring nearly 260 residents, local authorities reported.
The casualty count is expected to rise as rescue operations continue, according to Reuters. The USGS report noted the tremor occurred at a depth of approximately 28 kilometers near the city, home to roughly 523,000 people.
"This morning, 150 injured individuals and seven fatalities were transported to local medical centers," confirmed Samim Joyanda, spokesman for the Samangan province health department, as cited by Reuters. Authorities later revised the total number of injured upward to approximately 260.
Provinces Face Major Damage from Seismic Activity
The Afghan Ministry of Defense confirmed that the provinces of Balkh and Samangan sustained the heaviest impact from the seismic activity. Military rescue operations were immediately deployed to the affected zones to search for survivors under debris, evacuate the wounded, and deliver aid to impacted families.
Health Ministry representatives cautioned that the final toll is likely to climb higher. "Medical teams have reached the area, and all nearby hospitals are on standby to receive patients," stated spokesman Sharfat Zaman.
The USGS report triggered an orange alert via the PAGER system, signaling a significant risk of mass casualties and widespread structural damage. Past similar events have required regional or national emergency responses.
In Mazar-i-Sharif, officials in Balkh province confirmed structural damage to a section of the city’s renowned shrine, the Blue Mosque.
Afghanistan's Ongoing Seismic Vulnerability
Afghanistan is particularly susceptible to powerful tremors due to its location astride two active seismic fault lines. This recent event follows a devastating earthquake in late August in the country's southeast, which claimed the lives of over 2,200 people and left thousands more injured.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
