KABUL — Greater than 200 folks had been killed and lots of extra injured when a 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan’s jap area on Sunday, in accordance with state-run media.
Rescue employees have been mobilized in a number of districts of the mountainous area, close to the Pakistan border, however there are fears the loss of life toll may rise additional.
Aid groups have struggled to succeed in a few of the extra distant communities and their progress has been hampered by landslides, reported the Taliban’s state-run Bakhtar Information Company (BNA).
The earthquake hit simply earlier than midnight, 27 kilometers (16.77 miles) north-east of Jalalabad, a metropolis of about 200,000 folks in Nangarhar Province, and at a relatively shallow depth of 8km (4.97 miles), in accordance with america Geological Survey (USGS).
On Monday, native officers mentioned at the least 250 folks had been killed and greater than 500 others injured in a number of districts of the mountainous northeastern Kunar province, BNA reported.
“The variety of casualties and accidents is excessive, however for the reason that space is tough to entry, our groups are nonetheless on website,” well being ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman mentioned in a press release, in accordance with Reuters information company.
Almost half one million folks doubtless felt sturdy to very sturdy shaking, which may end up in appreciable injury to poorly constructed constructions, in accordance with the USGS.
Ahmad Zameer, 41, a resident in Kabul, informed CNN the earthquake was sturdy and jolted his neighborhood greater than 100 miles from the epicenter. He added that everybody from the close by house buildings rushed to the road in concern of being trapped inside.
“Sadly, tonight’s earthquake has had human casualties and monetary damages in a few of our jap provinces,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid posted on X.
“Proper now, native officers and residents are making all of the efforts to rescue affected ones. Assist groups from the capital and close by provinces are additionally on their method. All accessible assets will likely be used for the rescue and reduction of the folks,” he added.
The earthquake was additionally felt in a number of cities in neighboring Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces, the Pakistan Meteorological Division mentioned in a press release.
The area was hit by at the least 5 aftershocks, the strongest measuring 5.2-magnitude within the hours after the preliminary quake, in accordance with USGS.
An orange alert was issued by the USGS PAGER system, which predicts financial and human loss after earthquakes.
“Vital casualties are doubtless and the catastrophe is doubtlessly widespread. Previous occasions with this alert degree have required a regional or nationwide degree response,” it mentioned.
Afghanistan has a protracted historical past of earthquakes, lots of which occur within the mountainous Hindu Kush area that borders Pakistan. In October 2023, greater than 2,000 folks died after a robust 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan – one of many deadliest quakes to hit the nation lately. – CNN
