Epicenter was registered near Mazar-i-Sharif, in the north of the country; According to authorities, the number of victims is expected to increase
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit northern Afghanistan this Monday (3.Nov.2025), Sunday night (2.Nov) in Brazil, and left at least 10 people dead and around 260 injured, according to authorities. The earthquake occurred near the city of , which has an estimated population of 523 thousand inhabitants.
The tremor was recorded at a depth of 28 km near Mazar-i-Sharif, according to the United States Geological Survey. The provinces of Balkh and Samangan were the most affected by the disaster, as reported by the country’s Ministry of Defense, cited by .
The earthquake was recorded at 00:59 local time (17:29 Brasília time), when many residents were sleeping. Residents rushed into the streets in the middle of the night, fearing their homes might collapse.
Ministry of Health spokesman Sharfat Zaman said the number of victims was expected to rise. “Health teams have arrived in the area, and all nearby hospitals have been placed on alert.”declared Zaman.
Emergency assistance teams began rescue operations, transporting the injured and assisting affected families, according to a statement from the Taliban’s Ministry of Defense.
The USGS (Worldwide Earthquake Rapid Analysis for Emergency Response) issued an advisory for the earthquake, indicating that “the disaster is potentially widespread”. Previous seismic events with this alert level have generally required a regional or national response.
Afghanistan is located on two active fault lines that have the potential to cause extensive damage when they rupture. This geographical characteristic makes the country particularly susceptible to earthquakes of great magnitude. Earthquakes are common in the region, especially along the Hindu Kush mountain range, near where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet.
The earthquake also destroyed part of the Mazar-i-Sharif shrine, according to Balkh provincial spokesman Haji Zaid.
This is the latest natural disaster faced by the Taliban government, which has dealt with 3 major deadly earthquakes since taking control of the country in 2021. The most devastating to date was on August 31, in the east of the country, killing more than 2,200 people.
