Death toll from earthquake in Afghanistan exceeds 1,411

KUNAR: The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan has exceeded 1,411, with 3,251 people injured.

According to Afghan officials, more than 1,400 people died in the horrific earthquake that struck yesterday, while the number of injured is 3,251.

The Afghan Red Crescent says that more than 8,000 houses were destroyed by the earthquake. The most damage was caused by the earthquake in Kunar province, and the earthquake has caused deaths in at least five provinces.

Rescue operations are still ongoing in the affected areas, many people are buried under the rubble of their roofs, and the authorities fear that the death toll will increase.

A magnitude 6 earthquake was recorded in Afghanistan yesterday, with the epicenter in Afghanistan, while the depth was recorded at 8 kilometers. Later, aftershocks of magnitude 4.5 were also recorded.

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 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.