Earthquake kills over 1000 in Afghanistan

A major earthquake struck the mountainous nation of Afghanistan yesterday. Reportedly, well over 1,000 people died, and additional casualties keep being reported from remote villages. Yesterday, when deaths had just started to be reported, a news report said,

A powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, killing hundreds of people, making it the deadliest such disaster in more than two years.

The quake hit the adjoining provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman around midnight. In the Kunar province alone some 250 people were reported killed and more than 500 others wounded…the death toll could still rise as search and rescue efforts continue.

The US Geological Survey measured the quake as 6.0 in magnitude, with the epicenter located 17 miles northeast of Jalalabad. The quake struck at a depth of about 5 miles.

“Afghanistan sits on a seismic fault line where the Indian and Eurasian plates collide, making it one of Asia’s most earthquake-prone countries. Quakes frequently devastate the east and northeast, where fragile mud-brick homes collapse easily and rescue efforts are slowed by rugged terrain and poor infrastructure.”