Magnitude 6.3 earthquake strikes northern Afghanistan near Khulm

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck northern Afghanistan in the early hours of Monday, centered near the town of Khulm and close to the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, the U.S. Geological Survey said, with tremors felt across neighboring Pakistan and India. The quake occurred at about 1 a.m. local time and was initially reported as shallow before the U.S. Geological Survey revised its depth estimate to roughly 28 kilometers. Authorities had not released a comprehensive casualty count at the time of reporting.

The USGS issued an orange alert in its PAGER system, warning that significant casualties were likely and that the disaster could be widespread. Local emergency and disaster agencies said they were gathering information and would share reports on damage and injuries as they became available. Videos and images circulated on social media showed rescue efforts and collapsed debris in northern cities, but those could not be immediately verified by independent sources.

Balkh province authorities reported damage to the Blue Mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif. A provincial spokesperson said part of the shrine had been destroyed. National disaster officials also urged people in affected areas to use...