20 die in Afghanistan powerful Earthquake

Foreign

A 6.3 magnitude earthquake hits northern Afghanistan, near the city of Mazar-e Sharif, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 320 people.

The earthquake struck near Mazar-e-Sharif, one of the country’s largest cities that is home to about 500,000 people, at around 01:00 local time on Monday.

It had a magnitude of 6.3 and a depth of 28km (17 miles), according to the US Geological Survey, and was marked at the orange alert level, which indicates “significant casualties” are likely.

Health Ministry spokesperson Sharfat Zaman said, officials warned the toll could rise as rescue teams reached remote villages in the worst-hit provinces of Balkh and Samangan.

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Videos shared on social media platform X showed emergency responders searching the rubble for survivors,rescuers pulling what appeared to be dead bodies from collapsed buildings.

Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, as it lies on two active faults that can potentially rupture and cause extensive damage.

The country has experienced devastating earthquakes in recent years, including a 6.0 magnitude quake in August that killed over 2,200 people .