Panic and escalation of casualties
The quake struck about 01:00 local time (20:30 GMT on Sunday) near Mazar-e-Sharif, home to about 500,000 residents and one of Afghanistan's largest cities. Local officials reported that at least 530 people were injured. Buildings shook, sending many residents fleeing for safety, and most injuries reported were from people falling from buildings of significant height.
"Many people are injured" in the Sholgara district in Balkh province, the Taliban spokesman in Balkh reported. "We have received reports of minor injuries and superficial damage in other districts." Provincial officials said that casualties may rise as rescue teams continue to search for survivors trapped beneath rubble.
Power loss and damage to historical sites
The quake disrupted power supply across the region, including in the capital, Kabul, after electricity lines from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan were cut. The Taliban spokesman in Balkh also shared a video showing debris spilling from the Blue Mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif, one of Afghanistan's most important religious and historical sites. Believed to be the tomb of the first Shia Imam and the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad, the mosque dates back to the 15th century and continues to be a historical centre of worship.
Ongoing seismic situation in Afghanistan
Fatalities were also reported in Samangan province, a mountainous region south of Mazar-e-Sharif. This earthquake follows a magnitude 6.0 quake in late August in eastern Afghanistan that killed over 1,100 people. Mud and timber houses in that part of the country collapsed easily and trapped residents inside as the quake shook the ground.
Afghanistan is located on a number of active fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, and it is one of the most seismically active areas of the world. Infrastructure is poor and communications systems are insufficient, hampering rescue operations and increasing the vulnerability of residents in natural disasters like Monday's earthquake.
