Survivors of a powerful earthquake in northern Afghanistan are digging through the rubble of their homes after spending a bitterly cold night outdoors.

The death toll from an earthquake in northern Afghanistan is climbing, and hundreds of families have lost their homes as the harsh winter arrives.

Here is a look at why the war-shattered South Asian country experiences frequent tremors, and how their impact can be reduced.

At least 27 people were killed and hundreds of others wounded after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan at around 1 am local time on Monday (2030GMT Sunday), officials said.

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.