At least 12 dead after magnitude-6.3 earthquake hits Afghanistan

BBC:

At least 12 people have died after an earthquake struck northern Afghanistan, say local authorities, with the toll expected to rise as rescue efforts continue.

Hundreds have also been left injured, local officials told the BBC

The earthquake struck near Mazar-e-Sharif, one of the largest cities in Afghanistan, home to around 500,000 people, in the early hours of Monday, at around 01:00 local time (20:30 GMT).

It had a magnitude of 6.3 and a depth of 28km (17mi, according to the US Geological Survey, and was marked at an orange alert level, which indicates “significant casualties” are likely.

Eight people were killed and 180 injured in Samangan province, where the quake’s epicentre was, provincial health department spokesperson Samin Joyenda told the BBC. He added that the casualty toll may rise as rescue efforts continue.

In Balkh province, of which Mazar-e-Sharif is the capital, at least four people have died and 120 were injured, local health official Kamal Khan Zadran told the BBC.