Residents in northern Afghanistan were digging through debris and helping the injured on Tuesday after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near Mazar-i-Sharif, killing at least 27 people and destroying hundreds of homes, according to local authorities.
The earthquake, which struck early Monday, left nearly 1,000 people injured and caused extensive damage to the city’s historic Blue Mosque, the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) said. While the sparsely populated epicentre helped limit casualties, officials warned that the timing of the disaster, just before Afghanistan’s freezing winter, could worsen humanitarian conditions.
Hundreds of homes were flattened or severely damaged, leaving families exposed to dropping temperatures. “If you go inside the shops, you feel afraid they might collapse any moment,” said Mohammad Yasin, a shopkeeper in Tangi Tashqurgan, one of the hardest-hit areas.
Rescue operations have been complicated by damaged infrastructure and rough terrain. Hosam Faysal, head of delegation for Afghanistan at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said from Kabul that relief efforts were facing “immense difficulties.”
“Winter is already contributing to the complexity of the situation,” Faysal told reporters in Geneva.
Several health facilities were also affected, further straining emergency care. “The damage to hospitals is adding to the challenges,” said Christian Lindmeier, spokesperson for the World Health Organization. The Ministry of Public Health said 956 people had been treated for injuries so far.
The disaster adds to the growing list of challenges confronting Afghanistan’s Taliban administration, which is already dealing with international sanctions, reduced foreign aid, and the mass deportation of refugees from neighboring countries. In August, another major earthquake in eastern Afghanistan killed thousands, underscoring the country’s vulnerability to seismic events.
The United Nations has pledged emergency aid, while India and China announced plans to send assistance. India’s outreach is part of its recent diplomatic push to cautiously re-engage with the Taliban-led government, still unrecognized by most Western nations.
Afghanistan’s rugged terrain and weak infrastructure make it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. According to Reuters and the World Bank, earthquakes kill an average of 560 people annually and cause roughly $80 million in damage each year.
Experts say rudimentary construction methods significantly increase the risk of collapse during tremors. The ANDMA urged that new homes be built using earthquake-resistant techniques and that existing structures be reinforced to prevent similar tragedies.
ANDMA spokesperson Yousuf Hammad noted that Monday’s relatively lower death toll was due to “flatter terrain, better construction, and fewer residents near the epicentre,” compared to the August quake.
Africa Digital News, New York
