20 dead and more than 640 injured in the Afghanistan earthquake

People stand on the ruins of damaged buildings following the earthquake that struck Samangan Province, Afghanistan on November 3, 2025. [Photo/Agencies]

KABUL, Afghanistan – A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake shook northern Afghanistan before dawn Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 640 others, a disaster management official said.

The US Geological Survey said that the epicenter of the earthquake was located 22 kilometers west-southwest of the town of Kholm, and that it occurred at 12:59 a.m. at a depth of 28 kilometers.

Deputy spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority, Qari Taj Muhammad Hemmat, said that the earthquake left 20 dead and 643 injured, including 25 in critical condition.

Earlier, Sharafat Zaman, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, said that the dead and more than 500 of the injured were taken to hospitals. He added that rescuers are at the scene and that the numbers are changing.

In the capital, Kabul, the Ministry of Defense announced that emergency rescue and relief teams had arrived in the areas affected by the earthquake in Balkh and Samangan provinces, which suffered the greatest amount of damage, and began rescue operations, including transporting the injured and assisting affected families.

The Taliban government's chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said in a post on the X website that the earthquake struck Afghanistan's Balkh, Samangan and Baghlan provinces, causing casualties and financial losses. He expressed sadness and sadness over the losses and said that relevant government organizations are busy trying to get the necessary assistance to those affected by the earthquake.

In Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh Province, footage circulated on social media showed damage to the historic Blue Mosque. Several pieces of brick fell from the walls, but the mosque remained intact.

The centuries-old site is one of Afghanistan's most revered religious monuments and a major gathering place during Islamic and cultural festivals.

The Defense Ministry said a rockslide briefly closed a main mountain road linking Kabul to Mazar-i-Sharif, but the road was later reopened. She added that some people who were injured and trapped along the highway were taken to hospital.

Monday's earthquake came just weeks after a deadly earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, the United Nations in Afghanistan said on Thursday. The United Nations said that its teams are on the ground to assess needs and provide urgent aid.

Agencies via Xinhua

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