An earthquake in Afghanistan left more than 800 people dead and injured more than 2,500 others.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake was 6.0 and “occurred as the result of thrust faulting in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan, near the city of Jalalabad.”
“The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth and was the result of compressive forces driven by the northward motion of the India plate colliding with and subducting beneath the Eurasia plate,” USGS explained.
The United Nations said in a social media statement that it is “deeply saddened by the devastating earthquake that struck the eastern region & claimed hundreds of lives, injuring many more.”
“Our teams are on the ground, delivering emergency assistance & lifesaving support,” the entity wrote. “Our thoughts are with the affected communities.”
The Delegation of the European Union to Afghanistan similarly stated that it “extends its heartfelt condolences to all affected by the recent devastating earthquake in Afghanistan’s #Kunar & #Nangarhar provinces.”
“Our humanitarian partners are actively on the ground, providing critical aid to the victims,” the delegation said. “We stand in full solidarity with Afghans.”
Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Afghan Public Health Ministry, said that “it will take time to get the exact information about human losses and damage to the infrastructure,” due to the earthquake hitting a remote area, NBC News reported. “We have launched a massive rescue operation and mobilized hundreds of people to help people in the affected areas,” said Zaman.
