Afghanistan earthquake: Death toll rises to 1000; Taliban confirms rescue, relief ops on

At least 1,000 people have been killed, and 1,500 others are injured after a major 6.1-magnitude earthquake rocked Afghanistan overnight at around 1.30 a.m. local time, the country’s state-run media reported. As the rescue teams searched through the rubble of the levelled homes to find the survivors, the death toll is expected to rise.

Around 25 people died and several others were injured in just the Nangarhar province alone, Afghanistan’s disaster management authority informed. Heavy impact of the earthquake was felt by the residents of Gayan and Barmal districts of Paktika province. Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of State for Disaster Management Mawlawi Sharafuddin Muslim told in a press conference that the Taliban government would provide emergency relief to Afghans in all the affected regions and provinces. 

Taliban "will pay 100,000 AFN ($1,116.19) for the families of those who were killed in the earthquake and 50,000 ($558.10) will be paid to families of those injured," deputy minister said. 

Kabul’s earthquake was the deadliest since the earthquake in Haiti that struck earlier last year and lives of more than 2,200 were lost. The epicentre of the earthquake was located 46 kilometers (28.5 miles) southwest of the city of Khost that borders Pakistan, according to United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Tremors were felt across Pakistan as well as India, as it was registered at depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), which is equivalent to the “yellow alert” level. 

In this photo released by a state-run news agency Bakhtar, Afghans look at destruction caused by an earthquake in the province of Paktika, eastern Afghanistan, June 22, 2022. Credit: Bakhtar News Agency/AP

Death toll significantly high in Paktika province

Death toll is significantly higher in Paktika province where homes collapsed on the sleeping families and roofs tattered on unsuspecting residents who barely had time to run for cover in middle of the night.

Other parts majorly impacted were Giyan, Nika, Barmal and Zirok, according to Afghanistan’s State Ministry for Disaster Management. "The timing of the earthquake (in the) dark of night ... and the shallow depth of 10 kilometers of its epicenter led to higher casualties,"disaster management authority reportedly said.

Taliban on Wednesday chaired an emergency meeting to discuss response. It dispatched rescue teams to transport the injured to the hospitals and provide material aid to the victims, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid told state reporters.

“Measures were also taken to provide cash assistance and treatment,” Mujahid added. Furthermore, he stressed that the Taliban has “instructed use of air and land transport for the delivery of food, clothing, medicine and other necessities and for the transportation of the wounded”.

Taliban's Ministry of Defense said in a tweet that team of medics and seven helicopters have been sent to the areas that were destroyed, to help transport injured civilians to medical facilities.