(MENAFN) A powerful 6.3-magnitude tremor devastated northern Afghanistan before dawn Monday, claiming at least eight lives and leaving nearly 200 wounded, according to statements Afghan government authorities provided to local news outlets.

Qari Lutfullah Habibi, director of Samangan province's Public Health Department, confirmed the provincial capital Aybak recorded one fatality alongside more than 100 casualties. The Hazrat Sultan district within Samangan reported an additional death with 15 wounded. Neighboring Balkh province's Khulm district suffered the heaviest toll—six dead and over 70 injured.

Afghan officials warned the death count could climb as rescue operations continue evaluating destruction across isolated mountain communities where communication networks remain disrupted. Emergency medical personnel have been mobilized to earthquake-affected zones, though local healthcare facilities face overwhelming patient surges.

The nation's rugged topography and crumbling infrastructure make it vulnerable to catastrophic seismic events that routinely produce mass casualties. Afghanistan's deepening humanitarian emergency has further crippled disaster response capabilities.

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