Kabul: A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan on Monday, killing at least 500 people and Injuring over 1,000. Rescue operations are underway to find people stuck under the rubble and debris caused by the strong tremors.
Early reports had stated that about 30 people had been killed in a single village after the earthquake. However, health officials later updated the toll and stated that hundreds are feared dead.
While 500 deaths have been confirmed, the figure is likely to rise as rescue operations intensify. However, as the rescue operations continue, the death toll is expected to rise.
“The number of casualties and injuries is high, but since the area is difficult to access, our teams are still on site,” health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said in a statement.
As per USGS, the magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck near Jalalabad, Nangarhar province. After the 6.3 magnitude tremor, a 4.7 magnitude earthquake occurred at a depth of around 140 km, not far from the epicentre of the initial tremor.
Reports said that mild tremors were felt as far away as Delhi.
Monday’s earthquake has been described as the deadliest to strike the region since 2023. Two years ago, a 6.3 earthquake struck the region and was followed by strong aftershocks. As per Taliban, around 4,000 people were killed due to the quake.
Afghanistan is prone to deadly earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.