Opinion |
November 3, 2025


KABUL, Afghanistan.— This Monday, there was a strong earthquake of magnitude 6.3 in the north of Afghanistanwhich left at least 20 muertos and more than 640 injured25 of them in critical condition, a disaster management official reported. Health authorities warn that both figures could increase.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located 22 kilometers west-southwest of the town of Kholm, at a depth of 28 kilometers, said the United States Geological Survey (USGS by its initials in English). The agency reported that the earthquake occurred at 12:59 a.m. local time.

In August, an earthquake in eastern Afghanistan killed more than 2,200 people.

The country often faces difficulties in responding to these types of natural disasters, especially in remote regions. Structures are usually low-rise, built primarily of concrete and brick, with housing in rural and peripheral areas made of adobe and wood, many of them poorly constructed.

Damage to the Blue Mosque

Monday’s earthquake was also felt in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province in the north of the country, Afghan officials said. In Mazar-e-Sharif, images circulating on social media showed that the earthquake caused some damage to the historic Blue Mosque. Several bricks fell from the walls, but the mosque remained intact. The centuries-old site is one of the most revered religious sites in Afghanistan and an important gathering point during Islamic and cultural festivals.

Hundreds of houses destroyed

The deputy spokesperson for the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority, Qari Taj Mohammad Hematsaid the earthquake had shaken the provinces of Balkh, Samangan, Sar-e-Pul and Kunduz, leaving 20 dead and 643 injured, of whom 25 were in critical condition.

Previously, Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, indicated that the deceased and more than 500 of the injured had been transferred to hospitals in the provinces of Balkh and Samangan. First responders were on the scene and the numbers were changing, he added.

In nearby Badakhshan province, the quake partially or completely destroyed 800 houses in a village in Shahr-e-Bozorg district, said Ihsanullah Kamgar, spokesman for the provincial police headquarters. But due to the lack of internet in the remote area, there were no precise casualty figures yet, he added.

Yousaf Hammad, another spokesman for Afghanistan’s disaster management agency, said most of the injured suffered minor injuries and were discharged after receiving initial treatment.

In Kholm, near the epicenter, people shoveled debris from collapsed adobe houses to recover as much belongings as possible.

“It was 1:00 in the morning, and a very strong earthquake was felt. When I came out, the houses were destroyed and the air was very dirty,” said local resident Ahmad Zia. “We started rescuing the injured. We pulled the bodies of two people out of the rubble, and their funerals will be held today.”

Another resident, Abdul Mubin, said he was sleeping in his business at the time the tremor hit. “I saw that everything was destroyed. People suffered a lot of economic losses,” he said. “Many houses were destroyed, with furniture and other belongings under the rubble.”

Rocks blocked the road

In Kabul, the Ministry of Defense announced that rescue and emergency relief teams have reached the areas affected by last night’s earthquake in Balkh and Samangan provinces, where the worst damage was recorded, and have begun rescue operations, including the transfer of injured people and assistance to affected families.

The main spokesperson of the Taliban government, Zabihullah Mujahidwrote in a publication on the X platform that the earthquake caused victims and economic losses. He expressed regret and pain over the losses and said relevant government organizations were busy trying to bring necessary aid to people affected by the earthquake.

The tremor was also felt in the capital, Kabuland in several other provinces of Afghanistan. The Ministry of Defense, in a statement, detailed that pieces of rocks that fell from the mountains briefly blocked a main road connecting Kabul with Mazar-e-Sharif, but the road was later reopened. He said some people who were injured and trapped along the road were taken to hospital.

In Islamabadthe president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardariexpressed his deep regret and pain for the loss of life. In a statement, he offered his condolences to the families of the victims, prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and said Pakistan stands with the Afghan people at this difficult time.

He issued his statement as the two countries are engaged in rounds of peace talks amid rising tension after deadly clashes on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border that left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead on both sides.

Pakistan accuses the Taliban government of harboring members of the Pakistani Taliban and failing to curb cross-border attacks. The Afghan authorities reject the accusations, highlighting that they seek good relations. Another round of peace talks is scheduled for this week in Istanbul, Türkiye.

The United Nations delegation in Afghanistan He said in X that his teams are on the ground assessing needs and delivering urgent aid.

“We stand with the affected communities and will provide the necessary support,” the post said.

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake on August 31, 2025 in eastern Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan, killed more than 2,200 people. On October 7, 2023, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake, followed by strong aftershocks, left at least 4,000 dead, according to the Taliban government.

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