Topline
At least 610 people have died and more than a thousand 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.
Citing local authorities, the Associated Press reported that at least 1,300 people have been injured by the quake, and the death toll could rise further.
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.
The epicenter was at a depth of only 5 miles below the surface and such shallow quakes tend to be more destructive.
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.