Powerful 6.3 quake kills at least 20 in Afghanistan, hundreds injured

By Angela Christy M

KABUL (Reuters) -A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early on Monday, killing at least 20 people, injuring hundreds and damaging the city's historic Blue Mosque, authorities said, with the death toll likely to rise.   

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit at a depth of 28 km (17.4 miles) near Mazar-e Sharif, which has a population of about 523,000.

At least 20 people were killed and around 320 were injured, Health Ministry spokesperson Sharfat Zaman said, but officials warned the toll could rise as rescue teams reached remote villages in the worst-hit provinces of Balkh and Samangan.

Videos shared on social media platform X showed emergency responders searching the rubble for survivors. One video showed rescuers pulling what appeared to be dead bodies from collapsed buildings. Reuters could not immediately verify the footage of rescue efforts.

"Our rescue and health teams have arrived in the area, and all nearby hospitals have been put on standby by the leadership to treat the injured," Zaman said.

BLUE MOSQUE

The earthquake damaged part of the Blue Mosque, the holiest shrine in Mazar-e Sharif, Balkh province spokesperson Haji Zaid said.

The mosque is considered one of the holiest sites in Afghanistan and is believed to be the burial site of the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad. The current structure was built in the 15th century.

Footage shared on social media and verified by Reuters showed broken masonry and tiles lying in the courtyard of the mosque, though the main structure remained standing.

 The disaster is the latest challenge for war-torn Afghanistan's Taliban administration, already grappling with crises including an August quake that killed thousands, a sharp drop in foreign aid and mass deportations of Afghan refugees by neighbouring countries.

The quake disrupted power across the country including to the capital Kabul, national power supplier Da Afghanistan Breshna Company said in a statement.

The USGS said "significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread".

ACTIVE FAULTS    

Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to quakes as it lies on two active faults that have the potential to rupture and cause extensive damage. 

More than 2,200 people were killed and thousands more injured after a quake and strong aftershocks in the southeast of the war-shattered Islamic country at the end of August. 

Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response, the system's alert added.

(Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul and Angela Christy in Bengaluru; Writing by Ariba Shahid, YP Rajesh and Alasdair Pal; Editing by Stephen Coates)