Topline
At least 250 people have died and hundreds more have been injured after a powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan near the country’s border with Pakistan, the latest in a series of deadly seismic events the country has faced in the past few years.
According to the United States Geological Survey’s tracker, the 6.0 magnitude quake’s epicenter was located approximately 17 miles from Jalalabad, a city with a population of around 300,000 people.
At only 5 miles deep, Sunday’s earthquake was a shallow one, which tends to be more destructive.
The Associated Press reported that the quake has injured at least 500 people, and the authorities believe the death toll could rise from 250.
According to The New York Times, aftershocks of the earthquake could be felt in Kabul throughout Sunday night, although it is unclear if there were any casualties in the Afghan capital, located 100 miles away from Jalalabad.
In a post on X, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Taliban run government, Zabihullah Mujahid, said: “Sadly, tonight's earthquake has caused loss of life and property damage in some of our eastern provinces. Local officials and residents are currently engaged in rescue efforts for the affected people.”
This is a developing story.