6.3 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Northern Afghanistan, Hundreds of Fatalities Feared
A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near Mazar-i-Sharif and Khulm in northern Afghanistan today, with preliminary reports suggesting potentially hundreds of fatalities.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the quake occurred at a depth of 28 kilometers (17.4 miles) in the early hours of Monday morning local time. Shaking was also felt in neighboring Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. The USGS PAGER system issued an orange alert, predicting significant casualties and a potentially widespread disaster requiring a regional or national response. Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes due to its location in a seismically active region.
“Several provinces of the country were once again shaken by a strong earthquake at around 1 a.m. (3:30 p.m. ET Sunday),” stated the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority. Rahima, a resident of Mazar-i-Sharif, described waking up terrified, saying, “I had never experienced such a strong earthquake in my life.” She added that the quake broke windows and damaged plaster in her home, expressing concern for those living in mud-brick houses outside the city. You can learn more about earthquake preparedness from the Ready.gov website.
This earthquake follows a series of devastating quakes in Afghanistan, including a 6.0 magnitude quake in August that killed at least 800 people and a 6.3 magnitude quake in October 2023 that resulted in over 2,000 deaths. The USGS reported at least five aftershocks following today’s initial quake, the strongest measuring 5.2 magnitude.
Authorities are currently assessing the extent of the damage and coordinating a response. Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.
