A powerful magnitude-6.3 earthquake struck northern Afghanistan early on Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring 320, according to the Taliban-run health ministry. The tremor, which hit a region already beset by profound humanitarian challenges, occurred at approximately 1:00 AM local time (11:30 PM, Sunday, EAT), sending residents of the major city of Mazar-e-Sharif fleeing into the streets in fear of collapsing homes.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the quake's magnitude and reported its depth at a relatively shallow 28 kilometres (17.4 miles) near Kholm, a district close to Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province. The USGS promptly issued an orange alert, a designation indicating that "significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread," often requiring a regional or national-level response.

Widespread Damage and Mounting Casualties

Officials reported that the casualties were primarily concentrated in Balkh and the neighbouring province of Samangan. Kamal Khan Zadran, a health department spokesman in Balkh, confirmed four fatalities and 120 injuries in his province. In adjacent Samangan province, Mohammadullah Hamad, a spokesman for the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), reported five people had been killed and 143 wounded. The consolidated figures from the central health ministry later confirmed a higher toll. Officials have warned that the number of casualties could rise as rescue and assessment efforts continue, particularly in remote areas where communication is challenging.

The earthquake also inflicted damage on significant cultural heritage. Haji Zaid, a Taliban spokesman in Balkh province, reported that the historic Shrine of Hazrat Ali, widely known as the Blue Mosque, suffered damage. Images shared by officials showed debris scattered around the revered 15th-century landmark. An AFP correspondent in Mazar-e-Sharif, a city of over 500,000 people, observed widespread panic as the quake struck, with many residents remaining outdoors for hours fearing aftershocks.

A Nation on the Fault Line

Afghanistan is exceptionally vulnerable to seismic activity because it is situated over major geological fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge. This geological reality is compounded by decades of conflict and economic instability, which have resulted in poorly constructed buildings, particularly in rural areas. Homes are often built from mud and timber, which cannot withstand strong tremors, leading to high death tolls when earthquakes strike.

This disaster is the latest in a devastating series of earthquakes to hit the country. In August 2025, a 6.0-magnitude quake in eastern Afghanistan killed more than 2,200 people and wiped out entire villages. Other major tremors in western Herat in 2023 and eastern Nangarhar in 2022 also killed hundreds and destroyed thousands of homes.

Global Context: A Compounding Crisis

While there are no immediate discernible impacts on Kenya or the East Africa region, the earthquake's global significance lies in its amplification of Afghanistan's dire humanitarian crisis. The Taliban government, which returned to power in 2021, has struggled to manage multiple natural disasters amid a dramatic drop in the foreign aid that once formed the backbone of the economy.

International aid agencies and the United Nations have repeatedly warned of rising hunger, a collapsing healthcare system, and endemic poverty. These pre-existing conditions, exacerbated by drought and economic sanctions, severely hamper the country's ability to respond to and recover from natural disasters. The response to the August quake was reportedly undermined by a global funding contraction, forcing aid agencies to draw down reserves and potentially compromising future preparedness. The international community now faces the challenge of mobilizing resources for another emergency in a country where millions are already in acute need.