A 6.1 magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan has killed and injured hundreds that occurred early Wednesday morning in southeastern Afghanistan.
According to Ministry of State for Disaster Management Afghanistan, “920 people were killed and 610 were injured” in the earthquake that hit several provinces of Afghanistan.
Wednesday’s quake was the deadliest since 2002. It struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the southeastern city of Khost. The country’s eastern province of Paktika was the most affected, with reports of significant damage from the areas of Giyan, Nakai, Bermal and Zerak.
Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed all concerned officials and departments to take immediate steps to give relief to the affected families.
Most of the confirmed deaths were in the eastern Afghan province of Paktika, where 255 people had been killed and more than 200 injured, said interior ministry official Salahuddin Ayubi.
In Khost province, 25 people had been killed and 90 taken to hospital, he said. “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.”
Authorities had launched a rescue operation and helicopters were being used to reach the injured and take in medical supplies and food, Ayubi added.
Maulwi Sharafuddin Muslim, deputy Minister of State for Disaster Management said the Islamic Emirate will pay 100,000 Afs for the families of those who were killed in the earthquake and 50,000 will be paid to families of those injured. In order to alleviate the problem, Muslim asked for foreign aid.