AT LEAST 20 people have died after a huge 6.3 magnitude earthquake rocked Afghanistan with hundreds left injured.
The deadly tremor struck close to the city of Mazar-e Sharif with “significant casualties” expected as rescuers search through the rubble.
Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Taliban Health Ministry, said the quake killed at least 20 people.
He added that over 300 are injured with hospitals across Afghanistan packed with shell-shocked residents.
Zaman warned that these numbers are expected to continue to rise as rescue operations continue.
The quake first struck at around 12.59am on Monday (8.29pm UK time).
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The epicentre was felt 14 miles west-southwest of the town of Khulm.
It sits just outside Mazar-e Sharif, the country’s fifth-largest city, with a population of around 523,000.
The Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid said the devastating impact of the earthquake was felt in the Balkh, Samangan and Baghlan provinces.
One of the most tragic incidents saw the quake destroy part of Balkh’s holy shrine, known as the Blue Mosque.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) issued an orange alert on its system of quake impacts.
This suggests that “significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread”.
The United Nations in Afghanistan said on X: “We stand with the affected communities and will provide the necessary support.”
They added that it is on the ground delivering aid to those in need.
It comes just two months after another devastating earthquake killed over 1,400 in Afghanistan.
A 6.0 mag quake struck the Jalalabad area at around midnight local time on September 1.
Tremors were felt as far as Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, nearly 200 miles away.