At least eight people have been killed and 180 others injured after a powerful earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif. The quake, measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale, hit at around 2:30 a.m. Bangladesh time on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which said the epicenter was about 28 kilometers deep.
Samin Zawinda, spokesperson for the provincial health department in Balkh, said rescue operations are ongoing and the death toll could rise further. The USGS warned that the quake could cause “significant casualties and extensive damage.”
Taliban spokesperson for Balkh province, Haji Zaid, said many people were injured in the Sholgara district, adding, “Most of the injuries occurred when people fell from tall buildings.”
In Mazar-i-Sharif, a city of more than 500,000 residents, many people fled their homes in panic as buildings shook. Videos shared on social media showed debris scattered around the historic Blue Mosque, believed to be the burial site of the first Shia Imam and a major site of worship and pilgrimage.
Afghanistan lies on the boundary between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it highly earthquake-prone. In August this year, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan killed more than 1,000 people. The high death tolls are often attributed to poorly built mud and wooden homes that collapse easily during quakes.