A powerful earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale struck a mountainous region in Afghanistan’s northeast, close to the border with Pakistan, causing extensive damage, landslides, and resulting in the deaths of at least 12 people and injuries to over 200 others. The earthquake, which occurred on Tuesday evening, originated from the remote Jurm valley and was felt as far away as India. Khatera, a resident of Kabul, described it as a terrifying experience, unlike anything she had ever felt before. The valley region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan reported nine confirmed deaths, while three others were killed in Afghanistan. One of the victims was a child in the Laghman province near the border with Pakistan, where many families were celebrating the Persian New Year or Norwuz at the time of the quake.
The relief and rescue work is expected to be slowed down due to the remote and rugged terrain of the affected areas. Moreover, the phone lines have been impacted, and landslides have blocked the highway in the Swat area of Pakistan, which was hit the worst. The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has urged disaster agencies to take prompt action and provide emergency aid to those in need. The earthquake tremors were felt over a vast area of approximately 1,000 kilometers, spanning across several countries, including India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. This region is highly susceptible to earthquakes since it is located at the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
