India on Monday rushed emergency relief materials to northern Afghanistan after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the provinces of Samangan, Balkh, and Baghlan, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 500 in one of the deadliest tremors to hit the region in recent months.
The quake, which struck early on Monday, destroyed dozens of homes and shops and blocked the key Balkh–Samangan highway, hampering rescue operations. It was the second major earthquake to hit Afghanistan since September, when India had also sent humanitarian assistance.
