On Monday (November 3rd), a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck northern Afghanistan just before dawn, with the epicenter near the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif. As of now, the earthquake has resulted in at least 20 deaths and over 500 injuries, with the casualty numbers likely to rise. Experts point out that this earthquake highlights the accumulating tectonic stress in the South Asian seismic zone, suggesting the region may be entering a peak period of seismic activity.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the earthquake occurring at 12:59 AM local time, with a depth of approximately 28 kilometers. The epicenter was located 22 kilometers southwest of Khulm town, with major affected areas including the provinces of Balkh and Samangan.
In the Shahr-e-Bozorg area of Badakhshan province, at least 800 houses have partially or completely collapsed. Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, confirmed that 20 bodies and 534 injured individuals have been taken to local hospitals; most of the lightly injured have been treated and discharged.
The Afghan Ministry of Defense stated that military rescue and emergency aid teams have entered the disaster zone to carry out relief operations, assisting in transporting the injured and providing temporary shelter.
Afghanistan has experienced several strong earthquakes in recent years, resulting in significant casualties. An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 hit the eastern region on August 31st, claiming over 2,200 lives. Additionally, the 6.3 earthquake on October 7th, 2023, and subsequent powerful aftershocks took the lives of at least 4,000 people.
Geologists point out that Afghanistan lies in the core area of the Hindu Kush seismic belt, which is a juncture between the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates and one of the most seismically active regions on land globally. Due to the northward movement of the Indian plate at a rate of approximately 4 centimeters per year, immense tectonic stress accumulates deep within the Earth’s crust, being periodically released through strong earthquakes.
Boris Gänsicke, a geophysicist at the University of Warwick in the UK, highlighted the frequent occurrence of moderate earthquakes in South and Central Asia in recent years, indicating ongoing structural adjustments and redistribution, with tectonic stresses yet to be fully released. This process may lead to further seismic activities in the coming years.
Furthermore, experts observe that the active phase of the South Asian seismic zone is somewhat interconnected with global crustal activities. Seismic activities ranging from Japan, the Philippine archipelago to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea in the “Ring of Fire” region have been frequent in recent years, indicating synchronous accumulation of tensions along the Earth’s plate boundaries. Seismologists speculate that the global crust may be entering a new relatively active period.
Residents near the epicenter of the recent earthquake in Afghanistan reported feeling the ground violently shaking for about 15 seconds, followed by dust filling the air. The famous Blue Mosque in Mazar-e Sharif suffered structural damage, with the courtyard scattered with debris and broken tiles. There was a brief disruption in the power supply, leading to power outages and unstable communications in Kabul and other areas.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) stated that their team is on the ground conducting needs assessments and providing emergency assistance. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs also announced that they are sending emergency relief supplies to Afghanistan.
This earthquake poses a new challenge to the Taliban government. With winter approaching, low temperatures and shortages of essential supplies may further exacerbate the already fragile humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
(References: Reuters, Associated Press, etc.)