Quake in Afghanistan Killed At least 1,000 People

The officials stated that a remote region of the Afghanistan border was struck by a powerful earthquake killing at least 1,000 people overnight and injuring hundreds more, as rescuers desperately dig through the collapsed dwellings the toll is expected to rise.

The country which is in the grip of humanitarian disaster worsened by the takeover of the Taliban in August where people are already living hardscrabble lives was struck by the hardest quake in the rugged east.

Afghan media photographs showed houses were turned into rubble and bodies wrapped in blankets laying on the ground.

Interior minister official of Afghanistan Salahuddin Ayubi stated that rescue efforts were made to reach the injured and for medical supplies and food Helicopters were deployed to fly in.

In the eastern province of Paktika, most of the deaths were confirmed, where more than 200 were injured and 255 people died. In the Khost province, 25 people were killed and 90 had been hospitalized, Ayubi added.

The earthquake's magnitude was 6.1 to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre, whereas according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) it was 5.9.

At least 1,000 people died and 600 were injured according to the Disaster management officials. Whereas the number of injured is higher as per the local officials.

Information and culture director of Paktika Mohammad Amin Hozaifa informed Reuters that 1,000 people died and 1,500 were injured and this number might increase, where many families have been lost. The people who are injured are taken to Kabul and Gardez. 

It's training, all houses are destroyed and people are digging grave after grave, while still trapped under the rubble, he added.

The death toll keeps increasing all day as news of casualties coming out from hard-to-reach mountain areas and Hibatullah Akhundzada the supreme leader of the country warned it could rise further.

Rescuers and survivors were scrambling as per the tribal leader from Paktika to help those who are affected.

Yaqub Manzor informed AFP by telephone that all local markets are closed and people have rushed to the affected areas for help.

Video footage and photographs on social media show several badly damaged houses in rural areas. Some video clips show victims loaded in the helicopter by the residents.

The quake on Wednesday was the deadliest since 2002. As per the USGS earthquake took place at 1:54 am PST, at a depth of 51 km about 27 miles (44 km) away from the Khost city near the Pakistan and Afghanistan border. The shocks were felt up to 500 km by around 119 million people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

In Pakistan, shocks were felt in Islamabad, Peshawar, Kohat, Swat, Lahore, Mohmand, Buner, and other parts of KP and Punjab.

In a panic, people left their homes for safer places, as it was strong, told to the Peshawar resident.

According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Disaster Management Authority report in Lakki Marwat, a man was killed in an earthquake due to the roof of his room collapsing.

The spokesperson from the Afghan foreign ministry stated that they welcome help from all international organizations.