JALALABAD: A 6.0 magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border late Sunday destroyed numerous villages and caused extensive damage, killing hundreds of people.
The Taliban-led interior ministry said in a statement that 622 people had been killed and 1,500 injured.
The quake late Sunday hit a series of towns in the province of Kunar, near the city of Jalalabad in neighbouring Nangahar province.
The quake at 11.47 pm local time was centred 27 kilometres (17 miles) east-northeast of the city of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, the US Geological Survey said. It was just 8 kilometres (5 miles) deep. Shallower quakes tend to cause more damage.
The Kunar Disaster Management Authority said in a statement that at least 250 people were killed and 500 others injured in the districts of Nur Gul, Soki, Watpur, Manogi, and Chapadare.
“Rescue operations are still underway there, and several villages have been destroyed. The figures for martyrs and injured are changing. Medical teams from Kunar, Nangarhar, and the capital Kabul have arrived in the area,” said Sharafat Zaman, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health.
He said many areas had not been able to report casualty figures and that “the numbers were expected to change” as death and injuries are reported.
Nearby Jalalabad is a bustling trade city due to its proximity to neighbouring Pakistan and a key border crossing between the countries. Although it has a population of approximately 300,000, according to the municipality, its metropolitan area is believed to be significantly larger.
Most of its buildings are low-rise constructions, mostly of concrete and brick, and its outlying areas include homes built of mud bricks and wood. Many are of poor construction.
Jalalabad also has a considerable agricultural sector, with a focus on citrus fruits and rice, and is situated along the Kabul River.
The disaster will further stretch the resources of the South Asian nation already grappling with humanitarian crises, from a sharp drop in aid to a huge pushback of its citizens from neighbouring countries.
Afghanistan is prone to deadly earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Afghanistan on October 7, 2023, followed by strong aftershocks. The Taliban government estimated that at least 4,000 people perished.
