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Deadly earthquake hits northern Afghanistan

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.3 shakes northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 500.

A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has shaken northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 500.
Earthquake survivors search through the remains of a damaged house in Tashqurghan in the Khulm district of Samangan province. [Atif Aryan/AFP]

By News Agencies

Published On 3 Nov 2025

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A magnitude 6.3 earthquake has shaken northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 500, a health official says, adding that the numbers could increase.

The quake’s epicentre on Monday was located 22km (14 miles) west-southwest of the town of Khulm, and it struck at 12:59am (20:29 GMT on Sunday) at a depth of 28km (17 miles), the United States Geological Survey said.

Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, said 534 injured people and 20 bodies had been brought to hospitals in Balkh and Samangan provinces. Rescuers were on the scene and the figures were changing, he added.

In the nearby province of Badakhshan, the quake damaged or destroyed 800 houses in one village in the Shahr-e-Bozorg district, said Ihsanullah Kamgar, spokesperson for the provincial police headquarters.

However, due to a lack of internet service in the remote area, there were still no accurate casualty figures, he added.

Yousaf Hammad, a spokesperson for the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority, said most of the injured suffered minor wounds and were discharged after treatment.

In the Afghan capital, Kabul, the Ministry of Defence announced that rescue and emergency teams had reached the quake-affected areas in Balkh and Samangan, which suffered the most damage, and were transporting the injured and assisting others.

The Defence Ministry said a rockslide briefly blocked a main mountain highway linking Kabul with Mazar-i-Sharif but the road was later reopened. It said some people who had been injured and trapped along the highway were transported to hospital.

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A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has shaken northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 500.
People search through the debris of damaged buildings. [Reuters]
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A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has shaken northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 500.
Falling rocks along a highway damaged a truck. [Atif Aryan/AFP]
A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has shaken northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 500.
Shopkeepers search through the rubble of their shops along a highway. [Atif Aryan/AFP]
A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has shaken northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 500.
The quake damaged or destroyed 800 houses in one village in the Shahr-e-Bozorg district, says Ihsanullah Kamgar, spokesperson for the Badakhshan provincial police headquarters. [Atif Aryan/AFP]
A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has shaken northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 500.
Yousaf Hammad, a spokesperson for the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority, says most of the injured suffered minor wounds and were discharged after treatment. [Atif Aryan/AFP]
A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has shaken northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 500.
Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, says 534 injured people and 20 bodies had been brought to hospitals in Balkh and Samangan provinces. [Atif Aryan/AFP]
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A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has shaken northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 500.
Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to quakes because it lies on two active faults that have the potential to shift and cause extensive damage. [Atif Aryan/AFP]