At least 11 people were killed and more than 70 injured when a 5.3-magnitude earthquake rattled northern Afghanistan early today. The U.S. Geological Survey said the tremor took place at a depth of 10 kilometres at 00:58 local time around 190 kilometres northwest of the capital Kabul. The spokesman for provincial administration Mohammad Sediq Azizi said the disaster struck Samangan province and the districts of Darai Suf and Ruidoab were badly damaged in the tremor as 300 houses were partially damaged or destroyed rendering hundreds of people homeless. He added that the earthquake caused landslide which blocked the road connecting Darai Suf to the provincial capital Aybak city. The provincial police chief of Samangan, Abdul Razaq Ailkhani, said the casualties can be higher, adding a delegation has been sent to the affected areas to assess the situation. According to agency reports, the tremor was felt in Kabul and the neighbouring countries of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.