At least 20 people have been killed and more than 320 injured after a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif.
Local authorities warned that the number of fatalities is expected to rise as rescue efforts continue in the affected provinces.
The quake struck around 01:00 local time on Monday (20:30 GMT on Sunday) at a relatively shallow depth of 28km (17 miles), according to the US Geological Survey. The region is home to over 500,000 people.
Casualties and Damage
Fatalities were reported in Samangan, a mountainous province near Mazar-e-Sharif, as well as in Balkh province.
Haji Zaid, a Taliban spokesman in Balkh province, stated that many injuries were caused by people falling from tall buildings as residents rushed into the streets, fearing their homes would collapse.
The earthquake also caused a power outage across the country, including the capital Kabul, after electricity lines originating from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan were damaged.
A video posted by the Taliban spokesman in Balkh appeared to show debris strewn across the ground at the revered Blue Mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif, a 15th-century structure considered a key pilgrimage site for Shia Muslims.
Earthquake Prone Region
Afghanistan is highly susceptible to earthquakes due to its location atop several fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge.
The country is still recovering from a 6.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the eastern region in late August, killing more than 1,100 people. That disaster was made particularly deadly by the poor infrastructure, with many rural homes constructed from non-earthquake-resistant mud and timber.
Poor communication networks and lack of earthquake-resistant buildings continue to hamper rescue and recovery efforts across the country following such natural disasters.
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