Afghanistan Hit by Second Deadly Earthquake in Months, Damaging Blue Mosque

Latest Earthquake Devastation

• 🌍 A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near Kulm, Afghanistan, shortly before 1:00 a.m. local time.
• 💔 The tremor caused significant damage and casualties, with rescue efforts underway.
• 🏥 Medical teams have been mobilized, and nearby hospitals are on standby to receive more patients.

Impact on Historic Landmark

• 🕌 The historic Blue Mosque, a 15th-century landmark known for its tiles, reportedly sustained damage, with parts of its minarets crumbling.
• ⚠️ Tremors from the earthquake were felt as far away as Kabul.

Challenges for Disaster Response

• 📉 This is the second deadly earthquake to hit Afghanistan in recent months, following one in August that killed over 2,000 people.
• 📡 Poor communication networks and infrastructure have previously hampered disaster response, especially in remote villages.
• ⚖️ The latest tremor presents a fresh challenge for the Taliban government, which faces difficulties responding to natural disasters due to a significant drop in foreign aid funding since 2021.