A 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan‘s mountainous eastern region at 23:47 local time on Sunday (20:17 BST). Its epicentre was 17 miles (27km) away from Jalalabad, the country’s fifth-largest city in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province.
The earthquake has also affected the Kunar and Laghman provinces, and was felt 140km (87 miles) away in the country’s capital Kabul.
More than 600 killed in Afghanistan earthquake, Taliban interior ministry says
The Taliban interior ministry is now reporting that the death toll from the earthquake in eastern Afghanistan is 610.
More than 1,300 people have been injured, the ministry says.
Details slowly emerging after deadly Afghanistan quakepublished at 07:5207:52
A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan just before midnight local time on Sunday. Information about fatalities and damage is still emerging – here is what we know so far.
- The earthquake’s epicentre was 27km (17miles) away from Jalalabad, Afghanistan’s fifth-largest city, and around 140km (87 miles) from the capital Kabul
- Officials tell the BBC that houses were reduced to rubble in areas close to Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan
- The area is mountainous with limited communications, which means information is emerging slowly
- But local officials have told BBC News they fear the death toll will be in the hundreds
- As aftershocks continue, rescue efforts are being complicated by the region’s narrow mountain roads, some of which have been blocked by landslides
- Officials from the Taliban-run government have requested aid from international organisations
Earthquake caused ‘loss of life and property’, Taliban spokesman says
The Taliban government has just put out a statement on X saying the earthquake has caused “loss of life and property damage in some of our eastern provinces”.
“Local officials and residents are currently engaged in rescue efforts for the affected people. Support teams from the centre and nearby provinces are also on their way,” the statement adds.
Same region was hit by floods over the weekend
The region struck by Sunday evening’s quake was already reeling from flash floods over the weekend.
Floods swept the provinces of Nangarhar and Kunar between Friday and Saturday, killing at least five people, according to local media.
At least 400 families were affected, the International Organization for Migration said on Sunday.
The flood, which caused landslides and damaged infrastructure, also temporarily disrupted traffic between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Aftershocks continuing in quake hit areas
In Sawkai district, Kunar province, 20 people have died and 35 are wounded in one village. Residents are pulling out bodies from the rubble, the BBC has learned.
In a video seen by the BBC, dozens of residents have gathered in an open area, surrounded by the mountains. Injured people are carried on stretchers, while children lie on the ground wrapped in blankets for warmth.
SUMMARY
- More than 600 people are feared dead after a magnitude 6.0 earthquake hits eastern Afghanistan, the Taliban interior ministry reports
- Officials are warning of high casualty figures as they await more details – the remoteness of the area makes it hard to provide accurate estimates
- Dozens of houses are “under rubble”, sources from the Taliban government say, while officials say entire villages have been destroyed
- Locals tell us that landslides have cut off areas near the epicentre, meaning it will take a long time to fully assess the damage, reports Yogita Limaye from Kabul
- The quake, at a relatively shallow depth of 8km (6 miles), shook buildings from Kabul to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad
SOURCE: BBC NEWS
