At least 27 people have been killed and nearly 1,000 others injured following a powerful earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan, the country’s health ministry confirmed on Tuesday, announcing the conclusion of rescue operations.
The 6.3-magnitude quake, which struck overnight on Monday, caused widespread damage across the provinces of Balkh and Samangan, according to ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman.
Most of those injured were reported to be in stable condition, the Afghan National Disaster Management Authority stated.
“Thanks to the significant efforts and rapid response of all relevant institutions, the authorities have completed rescue operations in the affected areas,” Zaman said.
The epicentre of the earthquake was located in Samangan’s Kholm district, close to the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
In Kholm, an AFP correspondent observed residents clearing debris from their damaged homes amid heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, the state electricity provider said teams were working to repair downed power lines and restore electricity.
This latest quake comes just months after a devastating earthquake in late August struck eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border, killing more than 2,200 people and injuring nearly 4,000, according to Taliban officials.
That earlier tremor — the deadliest in Afghanistan’s recent history — was shallow and hit remote, mountainous regions where poorly constructed homes collapsed under the impact.
Earthquakes are a frequent occurrence in Afghanistan, particularly along the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet, making the region highly susceptible to seismic activity.
