Afghan earthquake kills 27, injures over 150 injured

Death toll from Afghan earthquake has reached 27 while over 150 have been injured, officials and reports said Thursday.

Local officials say that mostly people suffered in Laghman, Konar, Nurestan and Nangarhar provinces in eastern Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, hundreds of cattle were killed and material losses were also inflicted.

The earthquake, which took place Wednesday afternoon, was reportedly measured 5.7 on the Richter scale.

Apart from Afghanistan, the quake also jolted areas in Pakistan and India. The epicentre of this earthquake was 65 km deep in the earth near Mehtarlam, capital of Laghman Province.

Provincial spokesman in Ningarhar, Ahmad Zia Abdulzai said, a survey is under way to find out more on casualties, Tolo TV reported.

There is no exact information about the destruction caused by the quake, he said.

It comes as, at least one was killed and three others including women and children were injured in the quake in eastern Kunar province, provincial’s spokesman Wasifullah Wasifi said.

More than 300 houses have destroyed and 150 livestock has been killed in the quake, he said. He said that a rescue team will be sent to the area in the province.

The quake was estimated to have struck at a depth of 65km.

Meanwhile, the US Geological Survey reported that the epicenter of the quake was 11km south of the town of Mehtar Lam [Laghman province]. The city of Jalalabad, which has a population of more than 200,000, is also nearby, some 25km southwest of the epicentre.

The quake zone lies near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan. Tremors were felt in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, some 300km east of the epicentre, and most parts of northwestern and central Afghanistan.

The resulting tremors were felt as far away as India’s capital New Delhi.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Apr 25 2013. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.