Afghanistan earthquake kills 27, destroys over 1,000 homes in north

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale has struck northern Afghanistan, resulting in 27 fatalities and 956 injuries according to official reports. The seismic event, which occurred early Monday morning, caused widespread destruction across multiple provinces, destroying more than 1,000 residential structures and displacing numerous families throughout the region.

Regional Impact and Damage Assessment

The earthquake's epicenter was located near Mazar-e-Sharif at a depth of 28 kilometers (17.4 miles), affecting the northern provinces of Balkh, Samangan, Sar-e-Pul, Baghlan and Kunduz. According to the Afghan Red Crescent Society, the tremor caused "severe human casualties and heavy financial losses," with preliminary assessments confirming 1,037 homes destroyed. The worst-affected areas were Samangan province with 13 deaths and Balkh province with 12 fatalities.

Emergency Response and Medical Care

Search and rescue operations concluded Tuesday as authorities shifted focus to relief efforts for displaced families. The Ministry of Public Health confirmed that all injured individuals are receiving necessary medical treatment at regional hospitals. The Afghan Red Cross Society is coordinating emergency assistance to affected communities, though the scale of destruction presents significant challenges for relief distribution in the mountainous region.

Ongoing Humanitarian Challenges

The earthquake compounds existing humanitarian challenges in Afghanistan, where infrastructure remains vulnerable to natural disasters. The affected northern provinces have experienced previous seismic activity, though this represents one of the more significant quakes in recent years. The disaster highlights the continued need for international disaster response coordination in regions prone to seismic events, similar to expertise developed by earthquake-prone nations like Türkiye.