At least 20 people have died in northern Afghanistan following a powerful earthquake, local authorities have confirmed. Rescue operations are ongoing, and the death toll is expected to rise. Earlier reports had cited 10 fatalities.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck the Khulm area near Mazar-i-Sharif in the early hours of Monday. It measured 6.3 in magnitude and had a depth of 28 kilometers (17 miles). The USGS issued an orange alert, indicating a significant risk of casualties.
A spokesperson for the Taliban government’s Ministry of Public Health, Sharafat Zaman Amar, reported that over 20 people have been killed and more than 320 injured. Provincial officials told the BBC that the ongoing rescue operations could result in further casualties.
Haji Zayed, a Taliban spokesperson in Balkh Province, earlier noted that many people were injured in the Sholgara district, south of Mazar-i-Sharif. He stated that minor damage reports were received from all districts in the province, and that most injuries occurred due to falls from high buildings.
This earthquake comes just weeks after a 6.0-magnitude quake hit Afghanistan’s mountainous eastern region at the end of August. In rural areas, many homes are constructed from mud and wood, leaving residents vulnerable when buildings collapse during earthquakes.
Sources: BBC, Reuters, The Guardian.