In the pre-dawn hours of Monday, a powerful earthquake measuring magnitude 6.3 struck northern Afghanistan, leaving at least 20 people dead and about 320 injured, according to official figures. The tsunami-sized human impact belies the moderate size of the quake; its shallow depth, terrain and infrastructure vulnerabilities have all combined to magnify the devastation.

The epicentre was near the town of Khulm in the mountainous region of the country’s north, with the quake occurring at a depth of 28 km (17 miles). The provinces of Balkh Province and Samangan Province appear to have been the hardest-hit, with whole villages reported to have suffered damage and the local health ministry warning that the figures may rise as rescue crews reach more remote settlements.

In the administrative c

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