KABUL, Afghanistan (AFP) — At least six people were killed and nine others injured after an earthquake in eastern Afghanistan overnight, an official said on Monday.

The 5.3-magnitude temblor that hit districts along the eastern border with Pakistan comes less than three months after a powerful quake killed more than 1,000 people, also along the same frontier.

The latest quake was felt in the provinces of Kunar, Laghman and Nangarhar, and in the capital Kabul.

"We are collecting information from other areas regarding casualties and damages," deputy minister for disaster management Sharafuddin Muslim told AFP.

Meanwhile, a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern China on Monday, according to the United States Geological Survey.

At least seven people were killed in the quake that hit around 43 kilometers southeast of the city of Kangding in Sichuan province at a depth of 10 kilometers, the USGS said.

There were no immediate reports of any casualties.

Tremors were felt in the nearby provincial capital Chengdu — which is currently under a Covid-19 lockdown — and the megacity of Chongqing, residents told AFP.