Devastating earthquake rocks city where Hungarian soldiers served, updated: photo, map, video

At least 19 people have been killed and hundreds of others injured after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan at around 1 a.m. local time on Monday (2030 GMT Sunday), officials said. The provincial capital of Balkh, Mazar-e-Sharif, also reported casualties as well as damage to property. Hungarian soldiers served in the city on a NATO peacekeeping mission between 2003 and 2021. In 2013, more than 620 Hungarian troops were stationed in the country. According to a recent update, the number of casualties climbed to at least 27.

Devastating earthquake again in one of the world’s poorest countries

Most of the casualties were reported in the northern provinces of Samangan and Balkh, according to the Afghan Red Crescent Society. It added that the earthquake caused “severe human casualties and heavy financial losses.”

Search and rescue operations are ongoing in an effort to find survivors. Dr Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, said that most of the casualties were reported in Samangan province, according to Anadolu, the Turkish news agency.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing in an effort to find survivors. Dr Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, said that most of the casualties were reported in Samangan province, according to Anadolu, the Turkish news agency wrote.

The provincial capital of Balkh, Mazar-e-Sharif, also reported casualties as well as damage to property. Damage has also been reported in the north-western Baghlan province, officials said.

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8 major earthquakes

The quake occurred at a depth of 28 kilometres (17.4 miles) near Mazar-e-Sharif, one of the country’s largest cities, according to the US Geological Survey. Authorities have ordered all hospitals to be fully prepared to provide medical services to victims of the earthquake.

Here’s a video of the devastating earth tremor: