Afghanistan earthquake: at least 20 dead and 150 injured after magnitude 6.3 tremor hits Mazar-e Sharif

US Geological Survey warns of significant casualties as emergency teams respond; damage reported at the Blue Mosque in Balkh province

 

Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan |  At least 20 people have died and more than 150 others have been injured after a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck northern Afghanistan early Monday, according to the Taliban’s Health Ministry. The quake’s epicentre was located near Mazar-e Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, at approximately 12:59 a.m. local time (8:29 p.m. GMT Sunday).

Verified sources

• Taliban Ministry of Public Health, spokesperson Sharfat Zaman, statement to Afghan media.
• US Geological Survey (USGS) — ShakeAlert System, 03 Nov 2025.
• United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) — official post on X (formerly Twitter).
• Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) — field reports and Reuters photographs.

Context and damage assessment

The USGS issued an orange-level alert, meaning “significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread.”

Provincial official Haji Zaid confirmed that part of the Blue Mosque, one of Afghanistan’s most revered shrines, was partially destroyed. Emergency teams and volunteers are clearing debris in densely populated districts of Mazar-e Sharif.

The UN in Afghanistan announced:

“We are on the ground assessing needs and delivering immediate aid; we stand with affected communities.” — UNAMA (X, 03 Nov 2025)

Geographic and seismic background

Afghanistan lies on two major active fault lines. In September 2025, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake in the east killed 1,400 people and injured over 3,000.

In 2023, four tremors of the same magnitude struck Herat province, claiming more than 2,400 lives, according to Taliban officials.

Humanitarian response

Local hospitals report dozens of patients with fractures and head injuries, while the Afghan Red Crescent is setting up temporary clinics.

The UN’s World Food Programme and World Health Organization said they are preparing emergency relief convoys to northern provinces.

Historical parallels

A similar event in 2015 in northeastern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan killed several hundred people.

Experts warn that decades of conflict and weak infrastructure have increased the region’s vulnerability to earthquakes.

Regional and international implications

Analysts note that reconstruction efforts could strain humanitarian resources already limited by ongoing economic sanctions and the winter season approaching.

Neighboring countries, including Pakistan and Uzbekistan, have offered cross-border assistance.

Key Fact Block (HTML Data Block)

Key fact: At least 20 dead and 150 injured after a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in northern Afghanistan.

Expert comment

“This region experiences significant seismic stress where the Eurasian and Indian plates meet. Even moderate-magnitude quakes can be catastrophic due to construction standards and population density,” explained Dr. Leila Rahimi, seismologist at Tehran University of Geosciences. (Source: Institutional press brief, verified via Tehran University.)

With temperatures dropping below 10 °C overnight, rescue operations continue amid concerns for aftershocks and infrastructure collapse.

Authorities have called for international humanitarian support to assist thousands displaced in Balkh province.

 

By: Maria Perez | Editor-in-Chief, CRNTimes
Edited by: Editorial Department CRNTimes
Source credits: USGS | UNAMA | Taliban Health Ministry | Afghan Red Crescent | Reuters | Tehran University