Afghanistan, Samangan Province: A 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Samangan Province early on 3 November has knocked out power to at least nine Afghan provinces, including the capital Kabul, after damaging key transmission lines carrying imported electricity, according to Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS).
The state-run utility said two major 220 kV supply lines from Uzbekistan were cut, one between Naibabad and Samangan Province, and another between Khulm District and Pul-e-Khumri in Baghlan Province. A separate line from Tajikistan to Kunduz Province was also damaged, disrupting electricity imports from both northern neighbours.
The outage has affected Kabul, Baghlan, Parwan, Panjshir, Kapisa, Logar, Paktia, Ghazni, and Maidan Wardak provinces. DABS confirmed that repair teams have been deployed, but no restoration timeline has been given.
Afghanistan relies on imports for over 70 % of its electricity, with limited domestic generation capacity. Power shortages are common even under normal conditions, and disruptions like this highlight the country’s energy vulnerability.
The earthquake also caused significant structural damage and killed at least 20 people, according to Taliban officials. International agencies have warned that Afghanistan’s weakened infrastructure and fuel shortages continue to hinder effective disaster response.
Source: Amu TV
