An earthquake of magnitude 6 in eastern Afghanistan killed over 800 people and injured over 2,000, reported AFP quoting authorities. Helicopters were used to transport the wounded to safety as rescuers searched for survivors in the rubble.
The magnitude 6 quake, which struck at a depth of 10 km (6 miles), will exacerbate the existing humanitarian crises in the country, which is facing a reduction in aid and the return of its citizens from neighboring countries.
More than 1.2 million people likely felt strong or very strong shaking, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Near the epicentre in the east of Afghanistan, around 800 people were killed and 2,500 injured in remote Kunar province alone, chief Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.
Reuters Television footage showed helicopters moving the injured, while locals helped soldiers and medics carry the wounded to ambulances.
PM Modi assures humanitarian aid
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed deep anguish at the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Afghanistan, and said India stands ready to provide all possible humanitarian aid and relief to those affected.
Modi said on X, “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the earthquake in Afghanistan. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families in this difficult hour, and we wish a speedy recovery to the injured. India stands ready to provide all possible humanitarian aid and relief to those affected.”
Rescuers were actively searching for survivors in the area near Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, where homes made of mud and stone had been flattened by the midnight quake.
A foreign office spokesperson stated that “So far, no foreign governments have reached out to provide support for rescue or relief work.”
Afghanistan is susceptible to deadly earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge. A series of quakes in the western part of the country last year killed over 1,000 people, highlighting the vulnerability of this impoverished nation to natural disasters.
Joan Redner
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