At least eight people were killed and nearly 200 others injured after a powerful earthquake struck northern Afghanistan late Monday night, local officials said.

Qari Lutfullah Habibi, head of the Taliban's Public Health Department in Samangan province, told Radio Rustam Nowin that one person was killed and more than 100 were injured in the provincial capital, Aybak.

In neighboring Balkh province, six deaths and over 70 injuries were reported in Khulm district, while another fatality and 15 injuries occurred in Samangan's Hazrat Sultan district.

Authorities said rescue teams are still assessing the damage in remote areas, warning that the casualty toll could rise as communications are restored.

The earthquake, measuring 6.3 magnitude, struck around 12:59 a.m. local time, shaking several northern provinces and sending residents fleeing from their homes in panic.

Taliban officials said medical and emergency teams have been deployed to affected districts, where hospitals are struggling to accommodate the rising number of injured people.

Afghanistan, frequently hit by deadly quakes due to its mountainous terrain and poor infrastructure, continues to face severe humanitarian challenges that hamper rapid disaster response efforts.

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