A powerful earthquake struck Afghanistan: at least 20 people were killed, more than 300 were injured

A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake has struck northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people. More than 300 people were injured, and rescue efforts are ongoing.

This is reported by DW .

The quake struck at 1 a.m. local time at a depth of 17 miles (28 kilometers), the U.S. Geological Survey said. The epicenter was 14 miles (22 kilometers) from the town of Kholm, near Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province.

Kholm is home to about 65,000 people, while Mazar-i-Sharif, the country’s fifth largest city, has a population of about 523,000.

According to health authorities, at least 20 people have died and 320 have been injured in the disaster. Authorities say the death toll could rise as more people are trapped under the rubble.

Rescue and medical teams have already arrived in the affected areas, representatives of the Afghan branch of the Red Cross said, adding that the most damage was caused to settlements near the epicenter.

The earthquake damaged the historic Blue Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif, a 15th-century architectural monument that is one of Afghanistan’s main shrines.

Recall that on September 1, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 struck Afghanistan , killing more than 800 people and leaving thousands injured. The destruction of entire villages, blocked roads, and large-scale rescue operations turned the tragedy into one of the largest humanitarian disasters in the region.

Earlier it was reported that a powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.7 occurred in Myanmar , causing significant loss of life and destruction. The death toll exceeded 2,000 people, more than 3,900 people were injured, and about 270 are missing.

Also follow “Pryamim” on Facebook , Twitter , Telegram , and Instagram.