In the town of Khulm, near the epicenter, people dug through the rubble of collapsed mud brick homes with shovels and picked through debris to salvage what belongings they could.

A strong earthquake struck northern Afghanistan early Monday, killing at least 19 people and injuring hundreds more, though the death toll is expected to rise.

A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook northern Afghanistan before dawn Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 640 others, as well as damaging the historic Blue Mosque, officials said.

The Blue Mosque of Mazar-e-Sharif which dates back to the 15th century was affected by the earthquake. At least 20 people were killed and more than 600 were injured, according to authorities.

A 6.3-magnitude quake near Mazar-e Sharif exposed Afghanistans seismic threat. Experts explained how the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates causes deadly, frequent tremors.

At least 20 people died and 643 others were injured after the tremors, deputy spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority said

Hemmed in by rugged mountains, Afghanistan is prone to a range of natural disasters, but its earthquakes cause the most fatalities, killing about 560 people on average each year and causing annual damages estimated at $80 million. Studies indicate at least 355 earthquakes with a magnitude higher than 5.0 have hit Afghanistan since 1990.