A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early on Monday, killing at least 20 people, injuring hundreds and damaging the city’s historic Blue Mosque, authorities said, with the death toll likely to rise.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit at a depth of 28 km (17.4 miles) near Mazar-e Sharif, a city of around 523,000 people famous for its shrines and historic sites.

Mohammad Rahim, a survivor in Tashqurghan district close to the quake’s epicentre, said the earth shook violently for around 15 seconds.

“When we finally got outside, there was so much dust in the air that we couldn’t see anything,” he told Reuters while standing in front of a collapsed building.

His mother and brother, who were both trapped in the rubble, were eve

See Full Page