Late at night, a strong earthquake devastated the Kunar province of Afghanistan. Based upon preliminary information, approximately 1,000 individuals have been injured as well, and at least 600 people have died.
The epicenter of the powerful earthquake was in Jalalabad city, which is about 8 kilometers below the earth’s surface, according to Afghan media outlet Tolo News. According to the Richter scale, the earthquake’s magnitude was 6. Residents’ fear increased when five aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 4.3 to 5.2 were felt after the main tremor.
The worst-hit districts are Nurgal, Sawkai, Watapur, Manogi, and Chapa Dara, according to Afghanistan’s disaster management authority, where multiple villages have been destroyed. Many people are thought to still be buried beneath the rubble.
Rescue operations are underway, with teams from the Ministry of Defense, Interior, and Health already at the site. Injured victims are being airlifted by helicopters to Nangarhar Regional Hospital.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, directed all authorities to utilize every available resource to save lives and provide urgent relief to the affected population.
Tremors from the quake were also felt in Nangarhar, Laghman, Kabul, and some areas of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
