At Least 20 Dead and 320 Injured After 6.8-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Northern Afghanistan
A 7-magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif in Samangan province early on Monday, leaving at least 20 people dead and around 320 injured, local officials confirmed.
Mazar-e Sharif, which has a population of about 523,000, was among the worst affected areas.
Afghan Red Crescent shared photos of rescue operations.
A Powerful #Earthquake struck #Afghanistan’s #Samangan and #Balkh Provinces late last night. According to Initial reports, Seven people have been Martyred, around 150 Injured, and a large number of Homes destroyed. #ARCS Rescue and Medical teams have arrived in the affected areas… pic.twitter.com/rMIe1V3THi
— Afghan Red Crescent | افغاني سره میاشت (@ARCSAfghanistan) November 3, 2025
«A total of 150 people injured and seven martyred have been reported and transferred to health centres as of this morning,» said Samim Joyanda, spokesperson for the Samangan health department.
The figures were based on hospital reports gathered by Monday morning, he told Reuters.
Nilofar Ayoubi, an afghan journalist, shared on her account on X photos and videos of the disaster.
A powerful earthquake struck northern Afghanistan in the middle of the night, causing houses to collapse while residents were deeply asleep, resulting in numerous fatalities. pic.twitter.com/t4x6dNmwdQ
— Nilofar Ayoubi 🇦🇫 (@NilofarAyoubi) November 2, 2025
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued an orange alert through its PAGER system, signalling that «significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread.» Past quakes with such an alert level typically require a regional or national response.
Major Consequences
Footage verified by CNN shows that Mazar-i-Sharif’s famous Blue Mosque sustained damage in the earthquake, with rubble scattered around its base in the pre-dawn light. The mosque, one of Afghanistan’s most revered architectural landmarks, is also a key pilgrimage site, believed by many to be the burial place of Hazrat Ali, the fourth Caliph of Islam and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad.
Power outages were reported across at least nine provinces, including Kabul, after electricity lines from Uzbekistan, one of Afghanistan’s main energy suppliers, were severed. DABS also confirmed that connections from Tajikistan to Kunduz province had been cut, leaving the area in total darkness. The supply was restored within 5 hours.
United Nations stated that its teams are already on the ground to assess needs and provide emergency assistance. The Tashqurghan passage, a major transport route linking Kabul to Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, was also temporarily blocked by the quake but has since been reopened by rescue crews, according to the Ministry of Defence.
National Disaster Management Authority said detailed reports on casualties and structural damage would be shared as assessments continued throughout the day.
The Taliban’s defence ministry said that Balkh and Samangan provinces were among the hardest hit, with the quake causing civilian fatalities in both areas.
In a statement, the ministry confirmed that military rescue and emergency teams were deployed immediately, launching operations to evacuate survivors, treat the injured and support affected families.
Health ministry spokesperson Sharfat Zaman said that rescue efforts were ongoing, warning that the death toll could rise as more information emerged.
«Medical teams have reached the affected zones, and all nearby hospitals have been placed on standby,» Zaman said in a statement.
The eartquake was felt in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
