At least 920 persons have lost their lives from the impact of a fatal earthquake that struck a border region of Afghanistan on Wednesday evening.
According to reports, about 1,500 persons sustained injuries from the 5.9 magnitude quake, a figure which is expected to rise as rescuers continue to dig through the rubbles of collapsed structures.
The tragic incident comes at a time when Afghanistan is burdened with political crises and other social issues as the Taliban carry on their takeover of the country.
The death toll has risen steadily all day as news of casualties continues to emerge from remote areas in the mountains which the country’s supreme leader warns would continue for a while.
Deputy minister for disaster management, Sharafuddin Muslim, speaking to a press conference in Kabul, gave actual numbers saying, “So far the information we have is that at least 920 people have been martyred and 600 injured.”
Yaqub Manzor, a leader from Paktika province informed reporters that survivors and rescuers have been scrambling to help victims of the quake.
“The local markets are closed and all the people have rushed to the affected areas,” Manzor said.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has said they have deployed assessment teams to many affected areas.
Reassuring the public, the EU special envoy for Afghanistan tweeted, “The EU is monitoring the situation and stands ready to coordinate and provide EU emergency assistance to people and communities affected.
Afghanistan is a region frequently hit by earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range, bordering the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
