A 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan, on Monday (01), killing more than 800 people and leaving thousands of injuries, according to the country’s authorities.
The earthquake occurred in Kunar province in an area of difficult access, on the border with Pakistan. Authorities believe the number victims should increase in the coming hours. The epicenter of the tremor was recorded at a depth of 10 km near Jalalabad, which has about 200,000 inhabitants. The shake destroyed numerous houses and the capital Cabul also felt the shaking. Helicopters and aircraft helps to help victims, while rescue teams scour the rubble in search of survivors
The tragedy occurs in the midst of an economic and social crisis experienced by the country of approximately 42 million inhabitants, which depends on humanitarian aid from the United Nations. Afghanistan is located in a high risk area for seismic shaking. In October 2023, an earthquake in the western province of Heratist in Afghanistan killed at least 2,400 people, according to the Taliban government.
