The earthquake destroyed the entire village. Rescuers continue searching for bodies and survivors | Credit: Waheedullah Jahesh/Shutterstock
More than 660 people were killed and more than 1,500 were injured on Monday, September 1st.
According to Sky News Report, Health officials in the capital said the numbers could increase as rescue workers report the full extent of damage caused by the earthquake. “There are a lot of casualties and injuries, but our team is still on the ground due to the difficult access to the area,” said Sharafat Zaman, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health. “So far, there has been no reaching out to the foreign governments to provide assistance in rescue and relief efforts,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said.
According to the Geoscience Research Centre, the earthquake struck Knar province in the northeastern province near the Pakistan border at 11:47pm on Sunday (8:17pm UK time). The epicenter of the earthquake was 8.7 miles (14km) deep near Jalalabad in Nangarhar Province. Jalalabad is located about 74 miles (119km) from Kabul, the centre added. The German Geoscience Center reported that the second earthquake occurred in the same state about 20 minutes later, about 4.5 size and 10km (6.2 miles) deep. Then there was a 5.2 earthquake at the same depth.
Villages and houses devastated by Quake
Several villages have been destroyed and the first earthquake in Kunar province has reduced dozens of mud and stone houses to tile rubs, officials said.
According to Sky News, rescuers were searching for survivors in several earthquake-hit mountainous areas. Local officials said hundreds of injured people will be taken to hospitals and the numbers will likely rise.
“Sadly, tonight’s earthquake caused damage to some of our eastern provinces,” said Zabifulla Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirates in Afghanistan. “Local officials and residents are currently working in rescue efforts for those affected. Support teams from central and nearby states are also approaching.”
The country is prone to fatal earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush Mountains, where the structural plates of India and Eurasia meet. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake and strong aftershocks struck Afghanistan on October 7, 2023.
