Kabul, Sep 1 (AP) An earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has left at least 610 people dead, 1,300 injured, and numerous villages destroyed, according to a Taliban government spokesperson on Monday. The 6.0 magnitude quake struck late Sunday in the province of Kunar, impacting several towns near the city of Jalalabad in the neighboring Nangahar province and causing extensive damage. The US Geological Survey reported that the quake occurred at 11:47 PM, centered 27 kilometers east-northeast of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province at a depth of just 8 kilometers. Shallow quakes often result in higher damage levels. Abdul Matin Qani, spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, confirmed to the Associated Press that the quake claimed 610 lives and injured 1,300 people in Kunar, with many homes destroyed. In Nangarhar, twelve people lost their lives and hundreds were injured, according to Qani. "Rescue operations are ongoing, and several villages have been entirely destroyed," said Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health. "The casualty figures are still being updated as new reports come in." Many areas have yet to report their losses, so the numbers are expected to change, Zaman added. The nearby city of Jalalabad is a key trading center due to its proximity to Pakistan and an important border crossing between the two countries. Its official population is around 300,000, but the metropolitan area is thought to be much larger. The city's buildings are mostly low-rise, made of concrete and brick, with surrounding areas having homes built from mud bricks and wood, often of poor construction. Jalalabad is also known for its agriculture and farming, including citrus fruit and rice, and is traversed by the Kabul River. Previously, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Afghanistan on October 7, 2023, accompanied by strong aftershocks. The Taliban government estimated that at least 4,000 individuals died in that quake, though the UN reported a much lower death toll of about 1,500, marking it as one of the deadliest natural disasters in Afghanistan's recent history. (AP) GSP
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