At least 20 people were killed and more than 50 were injured after an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 struck Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province near the Pakistan border on Sunday night, August 31. According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake occurred at around 11. 47 pm at 27km (16.77 miles) north-east of Jalalabad in Nangarhar Province, and at a depth of 8km (4.97 miles).
“Unfortunately, tonight’s earthquake has had human casualties and financial damages in some of our eastern provinces,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid posted on X.
“Right now, local officials and residents are making all the efforts to rescue affected ones. Support teams from the capital and nearby provinces are also on their way. All available resources will be used for the rescue and relief of the people,” he added.
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Around 20 minutes after the quake struck, a 4.5-magnitude aftershock hit the same region, according to USGS, later followed by a 5.2-magnitude aftershock — both at a depth of 10km (6.21 miles).
The death toll is expected to rise - the affected provinces are in remote area and have rugged terrain, and houses there are not generally earthquake-resistant.
A Kabul resident told CNN that the quake was strong and jolted his neighborhood which more than 100 miles from the epic centre of the earthquake. He said everyone run out of their houses and gathered on the street in fear.