An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 occurred in the southeast of Afghanistan. killing at least 255 peopleaccording to the country official news agency.
The earthquake happened early on Wednesday morning local time with its epicenter near the city of Host south of the capital is Kabul, according to the US Geological Survey.
At least 255 people were killed and 155 wounded in Barmala, Ziruk, Naka and Gayan districts of Paktika Province, Bakhtar, Afghanistan news agency said on Wednesday morning. Save teams helicopters were delivered to the affected areas.
“Strong and prolonged tremors” were felt in Kabul 200 km away, according to a resident who posted on in website of European Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC).
Photo on Afghan media as well as social media showed at home reduced to rubble.
Deaths were also informed in eastern provinces of Khost and Nangarhar, said Mohammad Nassim Haqqani, head of Taliban Disaster Management Administration.
Bakhtar said local authorities fear death fee may rise if central government did not provide emergency help.
“A strong earthquake shook four districts of paktika province, killing and wounded hundreds of our countrymen and destroying dozens of houses”, Bilal Karimi, Deputy Spokesperson for Taliban government wrote on Twitter. “We call on all aid agencies to send teams to area immediately to prevent further catastrophe.”
Meteorological Department in neighboring Pakistan estimated the earthquake at magnitude 6.1. jolts were felt in Pakistani capital, Islamabad, and elsewhere in eastern province of Punjab.
European Mediterranean Seismological Center also said it felt trembling in Pakistan to the East of earthquake epicenter.
