6.0 magnitude earthquake kills at least 250 people in Afghanistan
Kyiv • UNN
A 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 250 people and injuring hundreds. Rescue operations are ongoing, and the death toll may rise.
At least 250 people have died and hundreds more have been injured after a 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan on Monday night, local officials reported. Euronews reports this, writes UNN.
Details
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 11:47 p.m. local time on Sunday, approximately 27 kilometers northeast of the city of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province.
20 minutes later, the same area was shaken by another earthquake of magnitude 4.5.
The emergency management office of Kunar province reported that at least 500 more people were injured in the districts of Nur-Gol, Soki, Watpur, Manogi, and Chapadare.
Rescue operations are still ongoing, several villages have been completely destroyed
He added that the number of dead and injured is likely to change as rescuers continue to clear debris from homes in search of survivors.
Addition
Jalalabad is a bustling commercial city due to its proximity to neighboring Pakistan and a key border crossing between the two countries.
Although the city council reports a population of about 300,000, significantly more people live within the agglomeration.
Most buildings are low-rise structures, predominantly made of concrete and brick. On the outskirts, there are many houses made of adobe and wood. Many of them are of poor construction quality and vulnerable to collapse during earthquakes.
Afghanistan is a seismically active zone where deadly earthquakes frequently occur: in 2023, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook the country along with powerful aftershocks. The Taliban stated that at least 4,000 people died.
The UN cited a much lower figure – about 1,500 deaths. This became the deadliest natural disaster in Afghanistan in recent times.