A powerful magnitude-6.3 earthquake struck northern Afghanistan in the early hours of Monday, further underscoring the country’s persistent seismic vulnerability. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicentre was located 22 km west-south-west of Khulm, in the Balkh Province (near the city of Mazar‑i‑Sharif), at a depth of about 28 km.
Although there were no immediate confirmed reports of major structural damage or casualties, the USGS issued an orange alert in its PAGER system, signalling that “significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread.” Local residents reported jumping out of bed and running into the streets as homes shook and windows rattled in the capital of the province.
The quake has landed in a part of the world marked by a history of deadly seismic events. In August of this year, a magnitude-6.0 earthquake in eastern Afghanistan killed more than 2,200 people, injured thousands, and left many homeless. Analysts say the mountainous terrain, shallow depth of the quake and construction standards reliant on unreinforced mudbricks and adobe homes all contribute to the high risk of devastation.
For Afghanistan, which faces ongoing humanitarian challenges, including drought, mass returns of displaced people, and limited infrastructure, the quake presents serious additional stress. The government’s national disaster management agency said it would provide updates once assessments were complete; for now, rescue teams and authorities are mobilising while closely monitoring further seismic activity.
The event serves as a stark reminder of the urgency of international support and stronger preparedness in one of the most disaster-prone regions on the planet. As winter approaches in Afghanistan, the urgency to provide safety, warmth, and timely humanitarian assistance to remote communities intensifies.
Humanitarian agencies from around the world are advocating for a fresh frame of international unified spirit, observing that Afghanistan has been stricken by successive disasters, which underscores the immediate requirement for coordinated assistance and investment in physically resilient infrastructure against earthquakes. Without sustained global commitment, experts argue that each new earthquake could unravel years of tenuous recovery and exacerbate an already complex humanitarian crisis.
