Afghanistan’s earthquake kills 1,000

The earthquake in Afghanistan on Wednesday (22 June) killed 1,000 people, injured more than 600, and is expected to increase as information flows from remote mountain villages.

The red flare showed where the helicopter landed in Paktika, reached the injured, and flew medicines and food.

The house was rubble, and the body wrapped in a blanket lay on the ground.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGC), the quake struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the host city near the Pakistani border.

Mawlawi Sharafuddin, Deputy Minister of Disaster Management in Afghanistan, said the government would provide 100,000 AFN ($ 1,116.19) cash to victims’ families and 50,000 AFN ($ 558.10) cash to injured families.

Launching relief efforts will be a major challenge for the Taliban, who hijacked the country last August and was cut off from much international aid due to sanctions.

Pope Francis, speaking from the Vatican, expressed sympathy for the victims, adding, “I hope with the help of everyone, the suffering of the Afghan people will be alleviated.”

The EMSC said on Twitter that about 119 million people were shaken in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties in Pakistan.

The EMSC states that the magnitude of the earthquake is 6.1, but the USGC is 5.9.

Most of South Asia is active in seismic activity as the structural plate known as the Indian Plate is pushed north into the Eurasian Plate.

(Reuters)