A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan’s northern Hindu Kush region early Monday, killing seven people and injuring 150. The quake, recorded near Mazar-i-Sharif, was also felt in Kabul. Authorities fear the death toll may rise as rescue operations continue. This follows several recent quakes in Afghanistan, including a deadly 6.0-magnitude quake in August that killed over 2,000 people.
A powerful earthquake that hit Afghanistan’s northern Hindu Kush region has reportedly claimed seven lives so far, while the country’s health department stated that 150 others have been injured. Rescue efforts are ongoing, and authorities fear the death toll could rise further.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the 6.3-magnitude quake occurred at 12:59 a.m. local time on Monday (November 3). It struck 28 kilometers (17 miles) deep near Khōlam, close to the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences, however, measured the quake’s magnitude at 6.4. Reporters from AFP in the capital Kabul also confirmed that tremors were felt there.
Afghanistan has experienced a series of earthquakes in recent months. On October 24, a 3.7-magnitude quake struck in the early morning, though no casualties or damage were reported. Earlier, on October 17, a 5.6-magnitude tremor shook Afghanistan, with vibrations also felt in Jammu and Kashmir, but it caused no injuries or destruction.
Previously, on August 31, the country was hit by one of the deadliest earthquakes in its history — measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale — which killed over 2,000 people and left nearly 3,000 others injured.