Afghanistan: Massive earthquake kills at least 920 injures over 600; tremors felt in Pak

A massive earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing at least 255 people and injuring over 500, the state-run Bakhtar News Agency reported. The casualties took place in four districts of Paktika province, the worst-hit eastern province, as per reports. The quake has damaged several houses in the region and also caused land sliding in Paktika, local sources stated.

A massive earthquake of magnitude 6.1 shook parts of densely-populated Afghanistan and Pakistan during the early hours of Wednesday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) informed. The quake struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the city of Khost in southeastern Afghanistan and was at a depth of 51 km, according to the USGS. Tremors were felt over a range of some 500 km by about 119 million people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said in a tweet. Meanwhile, the state-run news agency said rescuers were arriving by helicopter.

“A severe earthquake shook four districts of Paktika province, killing and injuring hundreds of our countrymen and destroying dozens of houses,” Bilal Karimi, a deputy spokesman for the Taliban government, wrote on Twitter.

“We urge all aid agencies to send teams to the area immediately to prevent further catastrophe,” he added. 

Death toll rises to 920: Official

The present death count from the destructive earthquake in Afghanistan has now risen to at least 920, the country's deputy minister for disaster management Sharafuddin Muslim said on Wednesday at a press conference as per BBC. He also said the number of people injured is now almost 600.

Earthquake tremors felt in Pakistan

Meanwhile, neighbouring Pakistan’s Meteorological Department put the earthquake at a magnitude of 6.1. Tremors were felt in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, and elsewhere in the eastern Punjab province. The European seismological agency, EMSC, said the earthquake’s tremors were felt over 500 kilometers (310 miles) by 119 million people across Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

"Strong and Long jolts" experienced, wrote a resident of Kabul on the website of the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). Seismic shocks were felt across Pakistan. "Massive EARTHQUAKE in Islamabad! Allah khair! I hope you're all safe! Allah Taala protects us all. Amen," said one of the Twitter users from Pakistan. 

This comes after a 5.0 magnitude earthquake jolted several Pakistani cities including Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, and Multan. The shocks were also recorded in Faisalabad, Abbottabad, Swat, Buner, Kohat, and Malakand last week, Geo News had reported