Kabul: Survivors of a powerful earthquake in northern Afghanistan that killed more than 20 people and injured hundreds were digging through the rubble of their homes Tuesday, trying to salvage what belongings they could after spending the night outside in the bitter cold.
Rain was forecast for the region, further compounding the misery for survivors.
The 6.3 magnitude quake struck just before 1 am local time Monday, with an epicentre 22 kilometres (14 miles) west-southwest of the town of Khulm in Samangan province. Afghanistan’s national disaster management authority said that by Tuesday morning, the death toll stood at 21, while a further 819 people had been injured, 25 of them seriously.
The temblor also damaged historical sites, including Afghanistan’s famed blue mosque in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, which is one of Afghanistan’s most revered religious landmarks, and the Bagh-e-Jahan Nama palace in Khulm.
The blue mosque’s minaret was badly damaged, while some bricks and tiles had fallen from some of the mosque’s walls, and cracks appeared in other parts of the centuries-old site, said Mahmoodullah Zarar, head of information and culture of Balkh province.
“The holy shrine is a valuable monument of Islamic values and the history of the Islamic era, ... (and) is in dire need of repair and restoration,” he said, adding that information on the damage had been shared with the Ministry of Art and Culture.
The mosque is a major gathering place during Islamic and cultural festivals.
The most severely damaged historical monument in the province was the 19th-century Bagh-e Jehan Nama palace, said Firozuddin Munib, Samangan province’s head of information and culture. The palace, built in 1890-1892, and its adjoining gardens are a popular site for visitors.