Powerful Afghanistan earthquake leaves 20 dead and reportedly damages famous Blue Mosque | Afghanistan
More than 20 people were killed and about 320 injured in a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan overnight, the health ministry said on Monday.
In the video message he shared with journalists, ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said that the first number of dead and injured were recorded in the provinces of Balkh and Samangan, where the damage was seen the most.
The earthquake also damaged the 15th-century Mazar-e-Sharif Sultanahmet Mosque, famous for its vibrant tiles, according to an AFP journalist who saw the damage.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was 22 kilometers (14 miles) west-southwest of Khulm, Afghanistan, at a depth of 28 kilometers. The USGS said it was shot at 12:59 local time.
Afghanistan disaster management agency spokesman Yousaf Hammad said most of the injured suffered minor injuries and were discharged after initial treatment.
In Kabul, the defense ministry announced that rescue and emergency aid teams had reached the affected areas in Balkh and Samangan provinces and started rescue operations, including transporting the injured and assisting affected families.
While social media images in Mazar-e-Sharif showed that the earthquake caused some damage to the Blue Mosque, AFP reported that parts of the ornate structure, particularly one of its minarets, broke off and fell to the ground.
This centuries-old site is one of Afghanistan’s most revered religious landmarks and an important gathering place during Islamic and cultural festivals. It is one of the few tourist attractions in the country.
The earthquake was felt in many provinces of Afghanistan as well as in the capital Kabul. The defense ministry said in a statement that rocks falling from the mountains briefly blocked the main highway connecting Kabul to Mazar-e-Sharif, but the road was later reopened. It was stated that some people who were stranded on the highway and injured were taken to hospital.
Afghanistan has been hit by a series of earthquakes in recent years, and the poor country often has difficulty responding to such natural disasters, especially in remote areas.
Buildings in Afghanistan tend to be low-rise structures composed mostly of concrete and brick; Houses in rural and surrounding areas are made of adobe and wood. Many are poorly constructed.
More than 2,200 people lost their lives in the 6.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border on August 31. According to the Taliban government, the 6.3 magnitude earthquake on October 7, 2023 and the strong aftershocks that followed caused at least 4,000 deaths.
With AP and Agence France-Presse
