A 5.3 magnitude earthquake was detected by the US USG in northwestern Afghanistan.
The toll, the authorities report, is at least 12 dead, caused by the collapse of some houses.
The quake occurred about forty kilometers from Qala i Naw in the province of Badghis, at a depth of 18km.
"There are also wounded," said the district governor, Mohammad Saleh Purdel, pointing out that women and children are also among the victims.
Afghanistan is often hit by earthquakes, especially in the mountainous Hindu Kush region, and can in many cases cause severe damage due to the fragility of construction in rural areas.
