New Delhi: At least 255 people have died in the earthquake of magnitude 6.1 that hit Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province on Wednesday. Around 90 houses have been destroyed in Paktika and dozens are feared to be trapped under the debris.
According to a media report, rescuers were arriving by helicopter.
Bilal Karimi, a deputy spokesman for the Taliban government tweeted, “A severe earthquake shook four districts of Paktika province, killing and injuring hundreds of our countrymen and destroying dozens of houses. We urge all aid agencies to send teams to the area immediately to prevent further catastrophe,”
According to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), an earthquake struck over a range of some 500 km about 119 million people in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, Quetta, and several other areas of Pakistan also experienced a quake.
Earthquakes can cause significant damage in Afghanistan, particularly in the many rural areas where many dwellings are not as stable or well-built. Pictures shared on social media showed people on stretchers, rubble, and ruined homes in Paktika province.
(Vinayak)