A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake rattled northern Afghanistan just after midnight on November 3, 2025, leaving a trail of destruction and deepening fears for survivors still trapped or missing. According to officials, at least 20 people have died and around 320 were injured in the initial aftermath. The quake struck near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in the Kholm area of Balkh province at approximately 12:49 a.m. local time, at a depth of roughly 28 km (17 miles), as per the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The force of the earthquake was so intense that even the capital, Kabul, 300 kilometers away, experienced significant tremors. The USGS issued an orange alert for the region, stating “significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread.” Afghanistan’s disaster management agency confirmed that the most severe casualties have so far been reported in Samangan province, but damage and injuries are spread across the north.
Historic Blue Mosque Damaged
Balkh province spokesperson Haji Zaid reported that the historic Blue Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif—a site revered as the burial place of the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad, and also associated with the first Shia Imam, Ali ibn Abi Talib—sustained damage. Videos from the scene show fallen bricks from the mosque’s ancient walls, though the overall structure remains standing. The centuries-old site, a major place of worship and pilgrimage, is central to the region’s religious heritage.
Blackouts and Mounting Casualties
Power outages swept across much of the country, according to Da Afghanistan Breshna Company, the national electricity supplier. Even Kabul suffered blackouts, compounding the chaos as emergency teams scrambled to respond and hospitals braced for more incoming casualties. Sharafat Zaman Amar, a government spokesperson, warned that the casualty figures are likely to rise as rescue efforts continue and more isolated rural areas report their damage.
The United Nations posted on social platform X (formerly Twitter) that its teams were “on the ground supporting rescue efforts,” promising to provide additional aid. The quake comes on the heels of a series of damaging earthquakes that have battered Afghanistan in the last few years—including a 6.3-magnitude quake that killed approximately 1,500 in Herat province in 2023, and another in 2022 that claimed roughly 1,000 lives in the east.
Afghanistan sits astride the junction of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it especially vulnerable to earthquakes. For a nation already reeling from recent disasters and chronic poverty, yet another tragedy on this scale is a heavy blow.
