KABUL, Afghanistan — A catastrophic 6.0-magnitude earthquake in eastern
Afghanistan has killed 1,411 people and injured 3,124 in Kunar province, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Afghan interim government, said Tuesday.
The quake primarily hit Asadabad, the capital of Kunar province, and the districts of Nurgal, Suki, Watapur, Chapa Dara and Pech Dara, according to a post on Mujahid’s X account.
According to him, 5,412 houses were destroyed in these areas.
Rescue operations face major challenges because of the region’s rugged terrain, but response teams from relevant agencies have been deployed to speed up rescue efforts and deliver aid to those trapped or in need, Mujahid said.
Juma Khan Nayeel, head of information and publication at the Afghan Red Crescent Society, confirmed to Xinhua on Tuesday morning that 8,000 houses were destroyed in Kunar, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Laghman and Panjshir provinces.
The quake struck at 11:47 p.m. local time Aug. 31, with its epicenter located 27 kilometers northeast of Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, at a depth of eight kilometers. / XINHUA