Powerful Earthquake hits Afghanistan, Killing 27 and Injuring Nearly 1000

For the second time in just over two months, a powerful earthquake has shattered the precarious stability of Afghanistan, plunging thousands of families into renewed crisis as the brutal Afghan winter looms. The 6.3 magnitude tremor, which struck northern Afghanistan in the pre-dawn hours of Monday, November 3, 2025, has left behind a devastating landscape of collapsed homes, damaged historical sites, and a rising death toll in provinces already buckling under chronic poverty and political isolation.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) placed the epicenter near the town of Khulm in Samangan province, but the impact was felt most acutely across Samangan and the populous Balkh province, home to the key northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif. Casualty figures remain distressingly fluid, a common trait in disasters hitting Afghanistan’s remote, rugged regions, but early assessments confirmed a severe toll. By Tuesday, UN agencies reported that at least 20 people had been killed and nearly 1,000 injured, figures subsequently adjusted upwards by the Taliban-led Public Health Ministry, with spokesman Sharafat Zaman confirming 27 dead and close to 956 wounded as rescue teams continued operations. The scale of property destruction is immense; the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that more than 90 houses were reportedly destroyed, including approximately 50 in Khulm District alone. In rural areas, where homes are typically constructed from rudimentary mud brick and often lack any seismic resilience, entire family dwellings were instantly reduced to dust, trapping residents as they slept.

The tremors did not spare the country’s cultural heritage, dealing a symbolic blow to national identity. In Mazar-e-Sharif, the historic Blue Mosque, a revered 15th century shrine, suffered notable damage. Local officials reported that while the main structure remained intact, significant portions of one of its iconic minarets were cracked and scattered across the mosque’s grounds. Furthermore, the 19th century Bagh-e-Jahan Nama Palace in Khulm also sustained structural failure, including the collapse of a surrounding wall and a tower, according to Mahmoodullah Zarar, Head of Information and Culture of Balkh Province. The damage to these landmarks underscores not just the intensity of the quake, but the vulnerability of Afghanistan’s infrastructure, both modern and historic.

What makes this latest disaster so profoundly tragic is the context. Afghanistan is still reeling from a catastrophic earthquake that hit the eastern part of the country in late August, killing over 2,200 people. This seismic instability is a constant threat, given the country’s location at the convergence of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, but the humanitarian fallout is amplified by geopolitical factors. The international community’s sharp reduction in non-emergency aid and the lack of formal diplomatic recognition for the current administration continue to starve essential public services, including disaster response capabilities.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, recently warned that the UN’s Humanitarian Response Plan for Afghanistan is severely underfunded, facing a deficit of more than $1.5 billion, making an effective, sustained response to compound crises increasingly difficult. Compounding the misery, the UN noted that the region was already grappling with chronic poverty and drought, challenges now deepened by the recent forced deportation of millions of Afghan citizens from neighboring countries, many of whom return with no resources or housing.

The current relief effort is a chaotic, desperate race against the elements. Rescuers and local volunteers are struggling to reach remote villages in the rugged mountains. Landslides triggered by the quake blocked the critical Balkh–Samangan highway, hindering the initial movement of heavy equipment and medical supplies. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the Samangan Provincial Hospital laboratory collapsed, destroying critical medical equipment and further limiting healthcare capacity in the immediate aftermath. Survivors, terrified by aftershocks, were forced to spend the night exposed in the bitter cold, leading to immediate health crises, particularly among children, as temperatures drop rapidly ahead of winter, a point highlighted by organizations like Save the Children. Despite the political isolation, aid has begun to filter in. China was among the first nations to respond with India also offering assistance, dispatching 15 tonnes of emergency relief, including food and essential medicines, as humanitarian needs sometimes manage to transcend diplomatic blockades. However, the international community’s sporadic engagement is simply not enough. This new catastrophe serves as a stark reminder: for the people of northern Afghanistan, the earth’s fury is now inextricably linked to the world’s reluctance to fund comprehensive, long-term stability. The cost of continued isolation will not be paid in political currency, but in the lives of the most vulnerable citizens.