Earthquake Strikes Afghanistan; 280 Killed As The Nation Shakes With “Strong & Long Jolts”

Officials from the eastern province of Paktika commented that the earthquake claimed 255 lives and left 200 injured.

Kabul: A 6.1 magnitude earthquake has struck Afghanistan reportedly claiming 280 lives.

Official sources added that above 200 civilians were injured. As the rescue operations continue, sources suggest that the death-toll may hike drastically.

The US Geological Survey reported that the disaster struck about 44km from the town of Khost, close to the Pakistan boundary.

Residents from the capital of Kabul described the tremors as “Strong and long jolts”

Official Salahuddin Ayubi added in a public statement that most of the casualties were reported from the eastern province of Paktika. Here 255 lives have been lost as well as 200 left injured, he added.

“The death toll is likely to rise as some of the villages are in remote areas in the mountains and it will take some time to collect details,” he added.

Authorities have since launched rescue operations using helicopters to reach the rumbled houses. Operations are also underway to supply food and medical supplies to casualties.

According to the EMSC’s Twitter post, 119 million people in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India experienced shaking.

No early reports of damage or casualties in Pakistan were available.

The catastrophe occurs as US-led foreign forces are leaving Afghanistan, which has been in a deep economic crisis ever since the Taliban seized power in August. Several national governments have put restrictions on Afghanistan’s banking industry and reduced billions of dollars’ worth of development aid in response to the Taliban takeover.

Any assistance from international organizations would be welcome, according to a spokesman for the Afghan foreign ministry.

A tectonic plate known as the Indian plate is pushing against the Eurasian plate from the north, which is causing seismic activity across significant portions of south Asia presently.