Powerful earthquake kills at least 20 people in Afghanistan – The Irish Times

A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake occurred near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif early Monday morning, killing at least 20 people, injuring hundreds and damaging the city's historic Blue Mosque, with the death toll likely to rise, Afghan authorities said.

The US Geological Survey said that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 28 kilometers near Mazar-i-Sharif, a city with a population of about 523,000 people and famous for its shrines and historical sites. Muhammad Rahim, a survivor in the Tashkurgan area near the epicenter of the earthquake, said the ground shook violently for about 15 seconds.

“When we finally got out there was so much dust in the air that we couldn't see anything,” he told Reuters while standing in front of a collapsed building. He said his mother and brother, who were trapped under the rubble, were eventually freed by rescue workers and other local residents.

At least 20 people were killed and 643 others were injured, 25 of them in serious condition, according to preliminary figures issued by Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority.

Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said: “Our rescue and health teams arrived in the area and the command put all nearby hospitals on standby to treat the wounded.”

The Blue Mosque was severely damaged following the earthquake that struck Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. Photograph: Atef Arian/AFP via Getty Images

Footage published by the Afghan Ministry of Defense showed military rescue teams digging through the rubble and extracting the body of a young girl from the dirt. Reuters was unable to independently verify the location and date of the images.

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said in a post on the social media platform X that it is on the ground to support rescue efforts.

India, which is seeking to reset ties with the Taliban after severing diplomatic ties following their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, has also pledged support.

Balkh province spokesman Haj Zaid said the earthquake damaged part of the Blue Mosque, which is considered one of the holiest sites in Afghanistan and is believed to be the burial site of the Prophet Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law.

The current structure was built in the 15th century.

Footage circulated on social media, and confirmed by Reuters, showed broken stones and tiles thrown into the mosque's courtyard, although the main structure remained standing.

The disaster is the latest challenge for Afghanistan's war-torn Taliban administration, which is already facing crises including the August earthquake that killed thousands in the east of the country, a sharp decline in foreign aid, and the mass deportation of Afghan refugees by neighboring countries.

The national energy supplier, Da Afghanistan Prishna Sherkat, said in a statement that the earthquake led to a power outage across the country, including the capital, Kabul.

Save the Children said the latest earthquake added to the country's humanitarian burden, as it arrived just before winter when temperatures drop below freezing.

“As temperatures drop, thousands of children in the earthquake-ravaged east of the country are facing the winter with only tents to protect from the rain and snow,” said Samira Syed Rahman, the country’s director of program development and advocacy.

“Now, families in the north are also experiencing fear and uncertainty after this latest strong earthquake.”

Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes because it lies on two active faults that can rupture and cause severe damage.

More than 2,200 people were killed and thousands more were injured after an earthquake and strong aftershocks struck the country at the end of August.

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