Panic and heartbreak swept through northern Afghanistan on Monday after a powerful magnitude-6.3 earthquake struck near Mazar-e-Sharif, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 530 others. The quake, which struck shortly after 1:00 a.m. local time, shook homes, toppled walls, and sent terrified residents running into the cold night streets as buildings swayed and power went out across the country.

The tremor, recorded at a shallow depth of 28 kilometers, caused widespread destruction across Balkh province and neighboring regions. The United States Geological Survey issued an orange alert level for the quake, signaling that significant casualties and damage were likely. By sunrise, rescuers and local volunteers were still digging through debris in the dark, searching for survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures. With many rural areas difficult to access and communications cut off, officials warned that the death toll could rise.

Haji Zaid, a Taliban spokesman in Balkh province, wrote on X that “many people are injured” in the Sholgara district, one of the areas hardest hit by the quake. “We have received reports of minor injuries and superficial damages from all districts of the province,” he added, though he noted that some injuries occurred when people jumped or fell from tall buildings in panic as the ground trembled violently. Witnesses in Mazar-e-Sharif described hearing a low rumble followed by seconds of intense shaking that felt like “the earth was tearing apart beneath our feet.”

The earthquake also triggered a nationwide power outage after transmission lines from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan—Afghanistan’s two main sources of imported electricity—were damaged. In the capital, Kabul, hundreds of kilometers away, lights flickered and then went out completely. Residents huddled outside in fear, uncertain of whether aftershocks might follow. “We had no idea what was happening,” said one Kabul resident reached by phone. “The house was shaking, and then everything went dark. Everyone was screaming.”

In Mazar-e-Sharif, videos shared online showed debris scattered across the courtyard of the historic Blue Mosque, one of Afghanistan’s most revered religious sites. Built in the 15th century, the mosque is said to house the tomb of Imam Ali, the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, and attracts thousands of Shia pilgrims every year. While the structure appeared to have survived the quake, minor damage to its walls and courtyard was visible in early footage released by local authorities. Taliban officials said they were assessing the extent of the damage to heritage sites in the city.

Khalid Zadran, a Taliban spokesman for the Kabul police, said authorities were “closely monitoring the situation” and coordinating with provincial officials to dispatch emergency aid and medical teams to the affected areas. Hospitals in Mazar-e-Sharif and nearby provinces were reportedly overwhelmed, with doctors treating patients for fractures, head injuries, and trauma caused by falling debris. Emergency tents were set up outside medical facilities as the number of casualties continued to rise.

The northern provinces of Balkh and Samangan, both near the quake’s epicenter, bore the brunt of the destruction. In Samangan, a mountainous region where many homes are made of mud and timber, several fatalities were reported, and entire families were feared trapped under the rubble. Rescue workers faced difficulties reaching remote villages due to damaged roads and poor communication networks. One provincial official said, “Our biggest challenge now is access. Many roads are blocked, and we cannot reach the people who need help the most.”

This latest disaster comes barely two months after another 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan in late August, killing more than 1,100 people. That quake exposed the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters and the limited capacity of its emergency response system. With infrastructure weakened by decades of war, economic collapse, and international isolation, Afghanistan remains one of the least prepared nations in the world to handle such catastrophes.

The country sits atop a major fault line where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, making it one of the most earthquake-prone regions in Asia. Each year, tremors of varying strength rattle its mountainous terrain, often bringing devastating consequences for communities already living in poverty. In rural areas, most homes are built from unreinforced mud bricks, leaving them particularly susceptible to collapse during even moderate earthquakes.

As daylight returned to Mazar-e-Sharif, families began the grim task of recovering what remained of their belongings from the rubble. Streets once filled with morning prayers and the bustle of city life were now lined with shattered walls, broken glass, and dust. Emergency workers urged residents to stay outdoors amid fears of aftershocks, while makeshift shelters sprang up in public parks and open fields. “We are alive, but everything we had is gone,” said one man standing beside the ruins of his home. “We can rebuild the walls, but we cannot bring back the lives lost.”