On the morning of Wednesday, June 22 (local time), a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border. This information was reported by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). According to measurements from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake registered a magnitude of 5.9.
Images of the destruction after the earthquake
Al Jazeera reported, citing Taliban officials, that the death toll from the earthquake affecting the Paktika and Khost provinces of Afghanistan has risen to 1,500.
According to this official, the earthquake also left over 2,000 people injured. Afghan authorities fear that the casualty numbers will continue to rise as many individuals remain trapped under the rubble, complicating rescue efforts.
The devastating earthquake occurred approximately 44 km from the city of Khost, with its epicenter at a depth of 51 km. The affected area extends up to 500 km. On its Twitter page, the EMSC indicated that around 119 million people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India may have felt the tremors.
Rescue operations are ongoing
The body of a deceased victim is being recovered
The USGS reported that the earthquake also shook many areas in Pakistan, but there have been no reports of casualties or damage in Pakistan.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) confirmed that approximately 119 million people in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India felt the tremors from the earthquake.
The Supreme Leader of the Taliban government, Haibatullah Akhundzada, expressed condolences to the families and relatives of the victims. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the country welcomes assistance from any international organizations.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) noted that after Afghanistan requested agencies to help with relief efforts, rescue teams have been deployed to the earthquake-affected areas to search for victims.
Statistics show that over 7,000 people have died in earthquakes in Afghanistan over the past decade.
In 2015, a major earthquake struck northeastern Afghanistan, claiming 200 lives. A 6.1 magnitude earthquake in 2002 resulted in approximately 1,000 fatalities in the northern region of the country.
