Camilla Jessen
A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit near Mazar-e Sharif early Monday.
A strong earthquake struck northern Afghanistan on Monday morning, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 320, according to updated reports from BBC News and Reuters.
The 6.3-magnitude quake hit near Mazar-e Sharif, a city of more than half a million residents, and had a depth of 28 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The quake caused extensive damage in Balkh and Samangan provinces.
“As of this morning, a total of 150 injured people and seven martyrs have been reported and transferred to medical centers,” said Samim Joyanda, spokesman for the health department in Samangan, in a statement to Reuters.
The Taliban Ministry of Defense confirmed that military rescue teams had been deployed to assist survivors and transport the wounded.
“Medical teams have arrived in the area, and all nearby hospitals have been put on alert,” said Sharfat Zaman Amar, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Health Ministry.
He added that the toll could rise as rescue efforts continue.
Afghanistan sits on major seismic fault lines, making it particularly prone to destructive earthquakes. Just two months ago, over 2,200 people were killed in another major quake in the southeast.
Damage from Monday’s quake included part of the Blue Mosque, a major religious site in Mazar-e Sharif.
Videos shared online showed scenes of collapsed buildings and ongoing rescue operations, though the footage has not been independently verified
