At least 20 people have been confirmed dead and more than 320 injured following a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan early on Monday, with its epicenter near the town of Khulm in Balkh province.

The quake, which struck at a shallow depth of 28 kilometers around 1:30 a.m. local time, sent residents fleeing into the streets and damaged several structures, including the historic Blue Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that tremors were felt as far as 420 kilometers away in Kabul. Emergency teams, including units from the Defense Ministry, were quickly deployed to the affected areas, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range where seismic activity is common due to the convergence of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.

Health Ministry spokesman Yousaf Hammad confirmed that most of the fatalities occurred in Balkh and neighboring Samawaran provinces. While many of the injured sustained minor wounds and were treated and released, authorities warned that the death toll could rise as rescue operations continue in remote villages with limited access due to poor infrastructure and communication challenges.

Footage from the scene showed visible cracks in the revered Blue Mosque, though the structure remained standing. No major building collapses have been reported so far, but the shallow depth of the quake intensified the shaking across the region’s rugged terrain.

This is the fourth major earthquake to hit Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control in 2021. It follows a deadly 6.0-magnitude quake in the east this past August that killed over 2,200 people, as well as significant tremors in Herat in 2023 and Nangarhar in 2022. The country’s fragile infrastructure, compounded by ongoing humanitarian crises, has left millions vulnerable.

The United Nations and Red Crescent have mobilized response teams, but international aid remains limited due to sanctions, banking restrictions, and reduced foreign support following refugee repatriations from Iran and Pakistan. Taliban officials have called for calm and pledged continued search and rescue efforts, though no formal international assistance has been announced.

As emergency crews dig through rubble and assess damage, the quake underscores Afghanistan’s seismic vulnerability and the urgent need for sustained humanitarian support.