Nearly 120 dead, over 1,000 injured as 6.3 magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan

The death count from a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in western Afghanistan on Saturday has risen to "about 120", disaster relief authorities said, with more than 1,000 others being treated for injuries.

"So far, more than 1,000 injured women, children, and old citizens have been included in our records, and about 120 people have lost their lives," Herat province disaster management head Mosa Ashari told AFP.

The United States Geological Survey said the epicentre was 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of the region's largest city Herat, and was followed by seven aftershocks with magnitudes between 4.6 and 6.3.Crowds of residents fled buildings in the city at around 11:00 am (0630 GMT) as the quakes began, lasting just under three hours.

"We were in our offices and suddenly the building started shaking," 45-year-old Herat resident Bashir Ahmad told AFP.

"Wall plasters started to fall down and the walls got cracks, some walls and parts of the building collapsed."

"I am not able to contact my family, network connections are disconnected. I am too worried and scared, it was horrifying," he said.

Men, women and children stood out in the wide streets, away from tall buildings, in the moments after the first quake and remained wary of returning to homes as aftershocks continued.

"The situation was very horrible, I have never experienced such a thing," said 21-year-old student Idrees Arsala, the last to safely evacuate his classroom as the quakes began.

In a video statement, National Disaster Management Authority spokesman Mullah Jan Sayeq said "around 40" had been injured in tremors felt across three provinces, in addition to 15 killed.

"These are the preliminary numbers. There is the possibility the numbers could increase," he said.

Earlier in the day he told AFP there had been landslides in nearby rural and mountainous areas.

Public health director of Herat province Mohammad Taleb Shahid put the fatality figure slightly lower at 14, with 78 injured, but agreed the tally would likely rise.

"We have information that people are buried under rubble," he told AFP.