DAMAGING M6.3 Earthquake struck on Monday Night near Mazār-e Sharīf in Afghanistan.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on November 2nd, 2025. Last updated November 8th, 2025.

A DAMAGING and strong M6.3 earthquake struck under land 36 kilometer from Mazār-e Sharīf in Afghanistan in the night of Monday November 3rd, 2025. Earthquakes like this can cause significant economic damage and have a significant risk at casualties. Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are also near its epicenter.

Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in Afghanistan, 36 kilometer (22 mi) east-southeast of Mazār-e Sharīf in Balkh. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 28 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Nov 3, 2025 12:59AM (Kabul Time) - Nov 2, 2025 20:29 Universal Time.
Location:	36 km ESE of Mazār-e Sharīf, Balkh, Afghanistan. Coordinates 36°35'22"N 67°29'3"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 6.3 Detected by 51 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.043 .
Depth:	28 km (17 mi) A quite shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	VIII Severe On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Tsunami very unlikely While this was a shallow earthquake, it appears to have occurred under land with a magnitude not strong enough to cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Significant impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level ORANGE (orange). They expect an 40% likelyhood of between 100 and 1,000 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls between 10 and 100,000.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level YELLOW (significant). They expect an 34% likelyhood of between 1 and 10 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 98% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 1,000 million USD.

Roughly 11 million people exposed to shaking

This earthquake may have been felt by around 11 million people. That is the expected population size of the area exposed to a level of shaking of II or higher on the Modified Mercalli scale according to the USGS.

Very strong shaking and likely moderate damage may have been experienced by an estimated 105,600 people. At VII, it is the highest MMI level this earthquake has caused. Intensity level IV was experienced by the majority of people (around 6.3 million). In their region, light shaking and likely no damage can be expected.

People in 4 countries have been exposed to shaking. In Afghanistan , around 6.7 million people, with impact levels up to VII (very strong shaking, likely moderate damage). In Tajikistan , around 1.9 million people. In Uzbekistan , around 1.7 million people. People were exposed to shaking in Turkmenistan as well.

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
0	II	Very weak	None
220,200	III	Weak	Probably none
6,319,000	IV	Light	Likely none
2,452,000	V	Moderate	Very light
1,537,000	VI	Strong	Light
105,600	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

Afghanistan , Uzbekistan , Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are all located within 300km distance of the epicenter of the earthquake.

Khulm in Balkh, Afghanistan is the nearest significant place from the epicenter. The earthquake occurred 23 kilometer (14 mi) west-southwest of Khulm. The intensity of shaking and damage in Khulm is estimated to be around level VII on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (very strong shaking, likely moderate damage).

Major cities near this earthquake: Kabul is located 275 km to the south-east (intensity unknown, possibly low). Mazār-e Sharīf is located 36 km to the west-northwest and experienced an intensity of VI (strong shaking, probably light damage). Dushanbe is located 245 km to the north-northeast (intensity unknown, possibly low).

An overview of nearby towns and cities is available in the overview below. If places don't have intensity data available, it likely means the experienced impact in those places was fairly small.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
23 km (14 mi) ENE from epicenter	Khulm Balkh, Afghanistan.	VII Very Strong
36 km (22 mi) WNW from epicenter	Mazār-e Sharīf Balkh, Afghanistan.	VI Strong
56 km (35 mi) WNW from epicenter	Balkh Balkh, Afghanistan.	VI Strong
60 km (37 mi) SE from epicenter	Aībak Samangan, Afghanistan.	V Moderate
73 km (45 mi) NNW from epicenter	Tirmiz Surxondaryo, Uzbekistan.	V Moderate
121 km (75 mi) ESE from epicenter	Baghlān Baghlan, Afghanistan.	IV Light
123 km (76 mi) E from epicenter	Kunduz Kunduz, Afghanistan.	IV Light
125 km (78 mi) SW from epicenter	Sang-e Chārak Sar-e Pol, Afghanistan.	IV Light
132 km (82 mi) ESE from epicenter	Pul-e Khumrī Baghlan, Afghanistan.	IV Light
135 km (84 mi) ENE from epicenter	Qarāwul Kunduz, Afghanistan.	IV Light
145 km (90 mi) WSW from epicenter	Sar-e Pul Sar-e Pol, Afghanistan.	IV Light
146 km (91 mi) E from epicenter	Khanabad Kunduz, Afghanistan.
149 km (93 mi) NE from epicenter	Moskovskiy Khatlon, Tajikistan.	IV Light
152 km (94 mi) NE from epicenter	Kolkhozobod Khatlon, Tajikistan.	IV Light
155 km (96 mi) W from epicenter	Shibirghān Jowzjan, Afghanistan.	IV Light
158 km (98 mi) NW from epicenter	Qarqīn Jowzjan, Afghanistan.	IV Light
159 km (99 mi) N from epicenter	Sho‘rchi Surxondaryo, Uzbekistan.	IV Light
159 km (99 mi) ESE from epicenter	Nahrīn Baghlan, Afghanistan.
173 km (107 mi) NE from epicenter	Vakhsh Khatlon, Tajikistan.	IV Light
180 km (112 mi) NE from epicenter	Bokhtar Khatlon, Tajikistan.	IV Light
182 km (113 mi) N from epicenter	Boysun Surxondaryo, Uzbekistan.
184 km (114 mi) E from epicenter	Taloqan Takhar, Afghanistan.
186 km (116 mi) NW from epicenter	Gowurdak Lebap, Turkmenistan.	IV Light
186 km (116 mi) ENE from epicenter	Ārt Khwājah Takhar, Afghanistan.
190 km (118 mi) N from epicenter	Denov Surxondaryo, Uzbekistan.
198 km (123 mi) ENE from epicenter	Farkhor Khatlon, Tajikistan.
199 km (124 mi) S from epicenter	Bāmyān Bamyan, Afghanistan.
211 km (131 mi) SSW from epicenter	Bāzār-e Yakāwlang Bamyan, Afghanistan.
214 km (133 mi) W from epicenter	Andkhōy Faryab, Afghanistan.	IV Light
217 km (135 mi) ENE from epicenter	Rustāq Takhar, Afghanistan.
224 km (139 mi) NNE from epicenter	Tursunzoda Republican Subordination, Tajikistan.
231 km (144 mi) SE from epicenter	Bāzārak Panjshir, Afghanistan.
232 km (144 mi) SE from epicenter	Charikar Parwan, Afghanistan.
234 km (145 mi) NE from epicenter	Danghara Khatlon, Tajikistan.
235 km (146 mi) NNE from epicenter	Hisor Republican Subordination, Tajikistan.
244 km (152 mi) NW from epicenter	Kerki Lebap, Turkmenistan.	IV Light
245 km (152 mi) NNE from epicenter	Dushanbe Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
251 km (156 mi) NE from epicenter	Kŭlob Khatlon, Tajikistan.
253 km (157 mi) WSW from epicenter	Maymana Faryab, Afghanistan.
257 km (160 mi) NNE from epicenter	Vahdat Republican Subordination, Tajikistan.
259 km (161 mi) SSE from epicenter	Paghmān Kabul, Afghanistan.
275 km (171 mi) SE from epicenter	Kabul Kabul, Afghanistan.
280 km (174 mi) NNW from epicenter	Shahrisabz Qashqadaryo, Uzbekistan.
282 km (175 mi) ENE from epicenter	Fayzabad Badakhshan, Afghanistan.
286 km (178 mi) N from epicenter	Kitob Qashqadaryo, Uzbekistan.
293 km (182 mi) NNW from epicenter	Qarshi Qashqadaryo, Uzbekistan.
320 km (199 mi) SSE from epicenter	Baraki Barak Logar, Afghanistan.
326 km (203 mi) SE from epicenter	Mehtar Lām Laghman, Afghanistan.
344 km (214 mi) N from epicenter	Samarkand Samarqand, Uzbekistan.
346 km (215 mi) WSW from epicenter	Ghormach Badghis, Afghanistan.
348 km (216 mi) SSE from epicenter	Ghazni Ghazni, Afghanistan.
360 km (224 mi) SE from epicenter	Jalālābād Nangarhar, Afghanistan.
368 km (229 mi) SSE from epicenter	Gardez Paktia, Afghanistan.
375 km (233 mi) ENE from epicenter	Khorugh Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan.
382 km (237 mi) ESE from epicenter	Asadābād Kunar, Afghanistan.
393 km (244 mi) NNE from epicenter	Istaravshan Sughd, Tajikistan.
394 km (245 mi) N from epicenter	Jizzax Jizzax viloyati, Uzbekistan.
399 km (248 mi) SW from epicenter	Shahrak Ghowr, Afghanistan.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The intensity in shaking and damage by this earthquake is illustrated through the map below. The highest intensity measured for this earthquake is VII.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Shaking reported by 63 people in 4 countries

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 63 people have reported shaking in 21 places in 4 countries (Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan).We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

Mazar-e Sharif, Balẖ, Afghanistan: 11 people.
Dushanbe, Dushanbe, Tajikistan: 11 people.
Kabul, Kabul, Afghanistan: 10 people.
Samarkand, Samarkand, Uzbekistan: 6 people.
Kattaqoʿrgʿon, Samarkand, Uzbekistan: 4 people.
Tashkent, Taschkent, Uzbekistan: 3 people.
Shebergan, Jawzjān, Afghanistan: 2 people.
Buxoro, Buxoro, Uzbekistan: 2 people.
Termiz, Surhondar, Uzbekistan: 2 people.
Dahana Ghori, Baġlān, Afghanistan: 1 person.

Risk of aftershocks?

We have not yet detected any foreshocks or aftershocks (MAG-2.5 or higher) within 100km (62 mi) of this earthquake.

The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.

It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

This is an unusually powerful earthquake

Earthquakes of this strength are not so common in the region, but it's not the first time. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since January 11th, 2024, when a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit 279 km (173 mi) further east. That was also the heaviest earthquake to hit the region in the past 10 years.

In total, 1 earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 10 years.

Tsunami very unlikely

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

While MAG-6.5+ earthquakes may cause tsunami's, it appears that the epicenter of this earthquake hit under land. In addition, the reported depth is deeper than 100km, making the risk of a tsunami even less likely. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor	Under Sea?	MAG-6.5 or stronger?	Shallow depth?
Explanation	Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami.	Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.	Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake	Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 6.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 28 km (17 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 08/11/25 20:28 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.