A powerful earthquake has struck northern Afghanistan, leaving at least four people dead and scores injured, according to local officials. The numbers are expected to rise significantly.

According to the BBC, the 6.3-magnitude tremor, recorded at a depth of 28km, hit near Mazar-e-Sharif - a key commercial hub with a population of more than 500,000 - at around 1:00 local time. The US Geological Survey has since warned of the likelihood of “significant casualties” and a “potentially widespread” humanitarian impact.

Haji Zaid, the Taliban spokesman for Balkh province, confirmed the fatalities on social media and said many more people had been injured in Sholgara district. A health official in neighbouring Samangan province separately told Reuters that seven people had died and some 150 injured individuals had been taken to medical facilities.

In an earlier statement, Zaid had reported “minor injuries and superficial damage” across the province, noting that many casualties had resulted from residents falling as they rushed from buildings. Footage shared online by Taliban officials appeared to show debris scattered across the grounds of the Blue Mosque, a prominent religious site in Mazar-e-Sharif the BBC adds.

The latest quake follows a 6.0-magnitude tremor in eastern Afghanistan in late August that claimed more than 1,000 lives. Much of rural Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to seismic events, with many homes constructed from mud and timber and therefore at high risk of collapse.