Powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake shakes northern  Afghanistan, killing at least 10 people

KABUL, Nov 3: A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake shook northern Afghanistan before dawn Monday, killing at least 10 people and injuring 260 others, an Afghan health official said. According to the US Geological Survey, the quake’s epicentre was located 22 kilometres west-southwest of Khulm, Afghanistan, at a depth of 28 kilometres. It struck at 12:59 am Monday local time, the USGS said. Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, said at least 10 people died and 260 were injured in the earthquake. Yousaf Hammad, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s disaster management agency, said most of the injured suffered minor wounds and were discharged after receiving initial treatment. In Kabul, the Ministry of Defence announced that rescue and emergency aid teams have reache