A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake has killed at least 20 people near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, the country’s health ministry said. Al Jazeera reported.

Rescue efforts are underway after the earthquake. The death toll is expected to rise.

Samim Joanda, a spokesman for the public health ministry in the mountainous northern province of Samangan, told Reuters that as of Monday morning, 150 people had been injured and seven had died, and they had been transferred to health centers, according to hospital reports.

He said the figures were based on reports collected from hospitals as of Monday morning.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake struck the Kholam area near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif at 12:59 a.m. local time. Its depth was 28 kilometers (17 miles). Residents took to the streets in panic at midnight.