The World Health Organisation (WHO) has mobilised emergency health teams and dispatched life-saving medical supplies to northern Afghanistan after a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near Mazar-e-Sharif early Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 860 others, reported the Ariana News.
The quake, which hit around 1 a.m. local time, caused extensive destruction across Samangan and Balkh provinces, toppling homes, injuring hundreds, and damaging critical health facilities.
According to WHO’s initial situation report, Samangan recorded 11 deaths and 270 injuries, while Balkh reported 9 deaths and nearly 600 injuries. Over 400 patients were treated in private hospitals for earthquake-related injuries.
Several healthcare centres sustained damage, including the WHO-supported Balghali Primary Healthcare Clinic in Samangan and the Hayatan PHC in Balkh. The laboratory of Samangan Provincial Hospital collapsed entirely, destroying essential equipment and disrupting diagnostic services.
Within hours of the disaster, WHO and its partners deployed emergency teams to the worst-hit areas. Six ambulances from the Balkh Ambulance Department were sent to rescue people trapped under debris and transfer critically injured patients to regional hospitals.
To support ongoing relief efforts, WHO has provided four Trauma and Emergency Surgery Kits (TESK) enough to treat about 200 trauma patients along with one Interagency Emergency Health Kit (IEHK) to serve 10,000 people for up to three months. Additional supplies, including pneumonia kits, are being transported from Kabul to Mazar to replenish stockpiles.
“Health teams are working around the clock to provide emergency care, deliver medical supplies, and assess urgent needs,” WHO said, noting that coordination with the Ministry of Public Health and provincial authorities remains ongoing.
Also Read: Earthquake in Northern Afghanistan Kills Over 20, Injures Hundreds
A rapid health needs assessment began on Tuesday, November 4, to determine the full scale of the damage and identify urgent gaps in medical support.
The response has been hindered by landslides in the Tange area of Khulm district, which blocked the Balkh–Kabul highway, as well as power outages and limited hospital capacity. Khulm District Hospital, one of the region’s main facilities, is struggling with overcrowding and shortages of space and resources.
WHO has appealed for continued international support to help hospitals in Balkh, Samangan, and Khulm sustain life-saving operations and provide shelter, clean water, food, and psychosocial assistance to affected families.
The organisation expressed solidarity with the victims and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Afghanistan’s health authorities in delivering a rapid and coordinated emergency response.
