6.3-magnitude earthquake hits northern Afghanistan, leaving at least 10 dead -VIDEO
A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early Monday, killing at least 10 people and injuring around 260 others, authorities confirmed.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake occurred at a depth of 28 kilometers (17.4 miles) near Mazar-e Sharif, a city with a population of roughly 523,000, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The toll was based on hospital reports collected as of Monday morning, he said.
The Afghan Taliban defence ministry said parts of Balkh and Samangan provinces were the most affected, resulting in fatalities among a number of citizens.
Military Rescue and emergency assistance teams reached the area immediately and began operations to rescue people, transport the injured, and assist affected families, it said in a statement.
Health ministry spokesperson Sharfat Zaman said rescue teams were active and the numbers of dead and injured might rise.
"Health teams have arrived in the area, and all nearby hospitals have been put on standby," Zaman said in a statement.
The USGS issued an orange alert in its PAGER system, which is an automated system that produces information on the impact of earthquakes, and indicated that "significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread".
Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to quakes as it lies on two active faults that have the potential to rupture and cause extensive damage.
More than 2,200 people were killed and thousands more injured after a quake and strong aftershocks in the southeast of the war-shattered Islamic country at the end of August.
Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response, the system's alert added.
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