Over 250 Killed, Houses Reduced To Rubble In Devastating Earthquake In Afghanistan
A powerful earthquake has killed at least 250 people and left scores injured in Afghanistan on Wednesday, BBC reported. A local government official said the death toll of more than 250 was likely to rise, and that more than 150 others had been injured. The quake struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the south-eastern city with its epicenter near the town of Khost south of the capital, Kabul, the US Geological Survey reported.
A powerful earthquake has killed at least 250 people and left scores injured in Afghanistan on Wednesday, BBC reported.
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A local government official said the death toll of more than 250 was likely to rise, and that more than 150 others had been injured.
The quake struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the south-eastern city with its epicenter near the town of Khost south of the capital, Kabul, the US Geological Survey reported.
¡°Unfortunately, last night there was a severe earthquake in four districts of Paktika province, which killed and injured hundreds of our countrymen and destroyed dozens of houses,¡± government spokesman Bilal Karimi tweeted.
¡°We urge all aid agencies to send teams to the area immediately to prevent further catastrophe.¡±
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Tremors were felt across more than 500 km of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre, quoted by Reuters.
Pictures shared on social media showed people on stretchers, rubble and ruined homes in Paktika province.
The centre said that witnesses had reported feeling the quake in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, as well as Pakistan¡¯s capital, Islamabad.
Deaths were also reported in the eastern provinces of Khost and Nangarhar, said Mohammad Nassim Haqqani, the head of the Taliban administration¡¯s disaster management authority.
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Afghanistan¡¯s news agency - Bakhtar News Agency said local officials feared the death toll could rise if the central government did not provide emergency help.
A Pakistan based journalist Hamza Azhar Salam wrote on twitter, ¡°At least 250 people have lost their lives after a powerful earthquake jolted Afghanistan's Paktika province. Prayers for the victims of this horrendous tragedy. Sadly, the world has been quick to forget about Afghans.¡±
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¡°WHO sympathizes with families of those who lost their lives & livelihoods from the #earthquake that affected some provinces of Afghanistan. WHO Teams are on the ground to support immediate health needs, provide ambulance, medicines & trauma services & conduct needs assessment,¡± WHO Afghanistan said in a tweet.