A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan early Monday morning local time, according to the USGS and local authorities, sparking fears of mass casualties and the need for a response.
“Based on initial information, the magnitude of the earthquake was more than 6, and the epicenter was in the Nakhchir district of Samangan province,” the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority said in a statement.
Samin Joyenda, a spokesman for the health department in the northern province of Samangan, told CBS News that as of early morning, at least 150 people have been injured and seven people have been killed in the earthquake.
Joyenda said the death toll may increase as search and rescue operations continue.
Meanwhile, Haji Zahid, a spokesperson for Balkh province, also in the north, shared a video on X showing people digging with shovels to rescue any survivors.
“In Balkh’s Shulgarah district, we have suffered financial losses. Many people have been injured and 4 people have been confirmed dead,” he wrote.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude of 6.3 with a depth of 28.0 km (about 17 miles) and designated the earthquake as “code orange,” indicating significant casualties and extensive economic losses are likely, requiring a national-level response, the USGS said.
U.S. Geological Survey 
Videos released appear to show the jolt lasting almost 20 seconds, and the earthquake was so powerful that people felt it in the capital of Kabul and other provinces.
The earthquake also triggered a landslide on Samangan-Balkh highway, a key transport route, trapping cars and passengers. Videos shared on social media depict massive rocks blocking the highway and a truck engulfed in flames.
Monday’s quake was the latest in the region. More than 2,000 people died when an earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan in August. Most of those affected still live in tents, according to a recent United Nations report.
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