6.3-magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan kills 10, injures 260

A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif. Provincial authorities said at least 10 people were killed and about 260 injured. Reuters reported. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake struck in the Kholam area near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in the Hindu Kush region early on Monday (November 3). The depth of the quake was initially reported at 10 kilometers (6 miles), but was later revised to 28 kilometers (17 miles).
The USGS said the quake struck in the Kholam area at 12:59 am (12:59 GMT) on Monday night. Its epicenter was near Mazar-i-Sharif, a city of about 523,000 people. AFP correspondents in the capital Kabul also felt the quake.
“A total of 260 injured and 10 dead have been reported as of this morning, and all have been taken to health centers,” Samim Joanda, a spokesman for the Samangan provincial health department, told Reuters. “The death toll could rise.”
Two months ago, another earthquake in the east of the country killed scores of people. Haji Zayed, a spokesman for Balkh province, said the quake had destroyed parts of the Blue Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif. Videos and photos of people trapped under rubble and collapsed buildings were shared on social media. In one video, rescuers pulled bodies from the rubble.