250 killed, 500+ injured in Afghanistan earthquake
A powerful earthquake that struck Afghanistan in the middle of the night has killed more than 250 people. At least 500 others were injured. On Monday (September 1), officials from the Taliban government’s Ministry of Information told Anadolu Agency about the casualties, according to a report by TRT World. According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck at 11:47 pm local time on Sunday (August 31). Its epicenter was 27 km northeast of Jalalabad at a depth of 8 km. At least three more earthquakes have been reported since then. Their magnitudes ranged from 4.5 to 5.2. An official from the country’s Ministry of Information told Anadolu that the highest number of casualties were reported in the Nur Gal, Sawki, Watpur, Manogi and Chapa Dara districts of Kunar province. He said the number of casualties was not yet final, as local residents in many remote areas were still being contacted and relief workers were on their way to the scene. The official added that landslides had blocked roads to Dewa Gul in Sawki district and Mazar Dara in Nur Gul district, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach the affected areas. Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Afghan interim administration, confirmed the casualties. “Tonight’s earthquake has unfortunately claimed lives in some of our eastern provinces,” he wrote on social media. Mujahid said local officials and residents were engaged in rescue operations, and rescue teams from central and neighboring provinces had been dispatched to the scene. He said all efforts were ongoing to save lives. Meanwhile, a Taliban government official has called on aid agencies to help with rescue operations in the remote mountainous area. The police chief in Kunar province told the BBC that roads leading to the area had been blocked by flooding and landslides caused by the earthquake. He said rescue operations were currently only possible by air. Taliban officials said they had limited resources and were seeking helicopter assistance from international organizations to reach the affected areas.
Source: BBC, TRT World
