A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early on Monday, killing at least seven people and injuring about 150, provincial authorities said on Monday.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit at a depth of 28 kilometres near Mazar-e Sharif, which has a population of about 523,000.

"A total of 150 people injured and seven martyred have been reported and transferred to health centers as of this morning," said Samim Joyanda, spokesperson for the health department in Samangan, a mountainous northern province near Mazar-e Sharif.

The toll was based on hospital reports collected as of Monday morning, he said.

The USGS issued an orange alert in its PAGER system, which is an automated system that produces information on the impact of earthquakes, a

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