A powerful earthquake has struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif, killing at least 20 people, injuring hundreds and damaging the city's historic Blue Mosque, with the death toll likely to rise.

The US Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.3 quake hit early on Monday at a depth of 28 km near Mazar-e Sharif, which has a population of about 523,000.

At least 20 people were killed and about 320 were injured, health ministry spokesman Sharfat Zaman said, but officials warned the toll could rise as rescue teams reached remote villages in the worst-hit provinces of Balkh and Samangan.

Videos shared on social media platform X showed emergency responders searching the rubble for survivors. One video showed rescuers pulling what appeared to be dead bodies from collapsed buildings

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