Earthquake in Afghanistan

Happened in remote area – details of destroyed villages

The earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on Monday night occurred in a remote and mountainous area, which is making rescue efforts difficult. The BBC reports, citing several Taliban sources, that dozens of houses have collapsed.

The police chief in Kunar province tells the BBC that roads have been blocked as a result of landslides and that rescue work can therefore only be done by air. The Taliban regime has asked international organizations to assist in the rescue effort.

According to the Taliban regime, more than 600 people have died and at least 1,500 people have been injured. According to a spokesman for the country's health ministry, three villages have been "totally destroyed".

"The number of injured and dead is likely to be higher," the health ministry said in a statement.

The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.0 with an epicenter about 27 kilometers east of the city of Jalalabad.

UN summit: "Deeply tragic - amplifies the misery"

The powerful earthquake in Afghanistan last night is a "perfect storm" for the country that is already hard pressed by crises, says the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, to Sky News.

He says that the situation is "deeply tragic" even though the total extent is not yet known.

- But there is already talk of hundreds of deaths and even more who have become homeless, he says.

He points out that the country is already affected by drought, as well as a population crisis when almost two million Afghans have been sent back to the country from Iran. At the same time, the Taliban regime means that it is very difficult to coordinate relief work.

– And this earthquake, which seems to be very serious, will only increase the misery, he says.

According to the authorities, more than 600 people have died and at least 1,500 have been injured in the quake.

Over 800 dead after earthquake in Afghanistan

More than 800 people have died in an earthquake in eastern Afghanistan, the Taliban government says according to AFP. At least another 2,500 people have been injured and several villages have been completely destroyed. On Monday morning, the death toll has risen gradually and is expected to continue to rise.

The earthquake occurred 27 kilometers east of the city of Jalalabad at a depth of ten kilometers and is estimated to have a magnitude of 6.0. The quake was followed by an aftershock that had a magnitude of 4.5.

According to TT, the quake was felt both in Afghanistan's capital Kabul and in Pakistan's capital Islamabad.