7 killed in Afghanistan's Mazar-i-Sharif earthquake

Shafaq News - Mazar-i-Sharif

At least seven people were killed and 150 injured when a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, local authorities said on Monday.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) indicated the quake occurred at a depth of 28 kilometers near the city, which is home to about 523,000 people.

The agency also issued an orange alert through its PAGER system—an automated platform that evaluates the potential impact of earthquakes—warning that “significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread.”

Haji Zaid, spokesperson for Balkh province, said that part of the city’s historic Blue Mosque sustained damage in the tremor. Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority later stated that detailed assessments of casualties and property damage would be released once rescue and survey operations are completed.

Afghanistan is highly prone to seismic activity. In August, a powerful earthquake killed thousands across several provinces. Earlier quakes, including one in 2015 in the northeast and another in 2023, also caused extensive loss of life and destruction.