Hundreds feared dead after 6.0 magnitude earthquake strikes Jalalabad, Afghanistan

Hundreds are feared dead following a 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan, in a mountainous area close to the border with Pakistan, local officials said on Monday (September 1), Reuters reports.

The quake hit the Jalalabad area around midnight local time.

It was at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said.

Helicopters transported injured individuals and casualties from the affected region, and local residents were seen assisting Taliban soldiers in carrying the wounded from helicopters to ambulances.

In October 2023, an earthquake in Afghanistan’s western province of Herat killed at least 2,400 people, according to the Taliban administration.