Afghanistan earthquake (6.1 magnitude) kills 9, injures dozens
Illustrative photo: earthquake (Getty Images)
In eastern Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan, a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 struck, killing at least nine people and injuring 25 others, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).
Ajmal Darwaish, spokesman for the regional health department, clarified that most of the casualties were reported in Nangarhar Province, particularly in Jalalabad, located about 119 km from the capital Kabul. The epicenter of the first quake was at a depth of 14 km.
Around 20 minutes later, a second tremor with a magnitude of 4.5 struck the same province, followed by another 5.2-magnitude quake at a depth of roughly 10-14 km.
Local authorities are assessing damages and checking infrastructure, including residential buildings and roads. Residents reported collapsing walls, cracked structures, panic, and an urgent need for assistance.
International humanitarian organizations are preparing to deliver medical aid and temporary shelters for victims. Meteorologists warn of possible aftershocks in the region.
For reference, on the night of Friday, August 22, a powerful earthquake struck the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica. According to scientists at Ukraine’s Akademik Vernadsky station in Antarctica, the quake measured 7.0 on the Richter scale, with an epicenter at a depth of 14 km.
