At least 20 people were killed and more than 320 injured after a powerful earthquake struck northern Afghanistan late Sunday night, hitting Balkh and Samangan provinces hardest.

According to Taliban authorities, the quake caused extensive destruction, leveling dozens of houses, particularly in Khulm district of Samangan province. Sharafat Zaman Amar, spokesperson for the Taliban-run Ministry of Public Health, confirmed the latest death toll and said emergency teams were working to assist the injured.Earthquake Shakes Islamabad, Parts of KP

Provincial police spokesman Hashmatullah Rahmani said nine people were killed and 200 others injured in Samangan alone, while Balkh province reported at least four deaths and over 120 wounded, according to police headquarters spokesperson Hafiz Mohammad Isa Wasiq. Local officials warned that the number of casualties could rise as rescue operations continue in remote areas.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.3 and struck at a depth of 28 kilometers (17 miles). The tremor was strong enough to cause structural damage across multiple districts and was also felt in neighboring Kunduz province, where initial reports indicated further casualties and property losses.

Northern Afghanistan has been hit by a series of deadly earthquakes in recent months, highlighting the country’s vulnerability to seismic activity amid limited emergency response capacity. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), recent quakes have destroyed thousands of homes, compounding the humanitarian crisis in the region.

Authorities have urged international organizations to provide relief assistance, as the Taliban government struggles with resource shortages following international aid cuts. The quake adds to Afghanistan’s ongoing challenges, with Balkh and Samangan provinces—key agricultural regions—already affected by earlier floods and infrastructure collapse.