The main highway connecting Kabul to the northern province of Balkh has reopened to traffic after being blocked overnight by a landslide caused by a powerful earthquake, Taliban defense ministry said Monday.
The ministry announced that the Kabul–Balkh highway, which had been closed in the Tangi Tashqurghan area of Samangan Province, was cleared and made passable again. The route is a vital corridor for both commercial and civilian traffic between the capital and northern Afghanistan.
The blockage occurred after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Samangan Province at approximately 1 a.m. on Monday, according to the Afghan Red Crescent Society. The tremors were felt widely across northern provinces and in Kabul.
The earthquake caused rocks and debris from surrounding hillsides to collapse onto the highway, forcing authorities to temporarily close the route while crews worked to clear the area.
According to the Taliban-run Ministry of Public Health, at least 20 people were killed and more than 300 injured in the earthquake. The Afghan Red Crescent, however, reported 19 fatalities based on its initial assessments.
The quake also caused visible damage to the Blue Mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif, one of Afghanistan’s most sacred religious sites. Videos circulated on social media showed cracks in the structure, sparking concern among cultural heritage advocates.
The region has experienced multiple deadly earthquakes in recent years, including a devastating quake on August 31 in Kunar in the east.
