A massive earthquake has slammed wide regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, causing at least 12 deaths and more than 40 injuries.
Buildings were destroyed, landslides were generated, and panicked citizens ran into the streets as a result of the 6.5 magnitude earthquake. The epicentre was in the quake-prone Jurm valley in Afghanistan on Tuesday evening local time.
Relief and rescue efforts are expected to be slowed by the area’s isolated location.
“A tremendous earthquake had just struck. A quake of that magnitude was unheard of in my experience “Khatera, a native of Kabul, told the AFP news agency that she had just fled her fifth-floor residence.
The valley region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan was the location of nine of the confirmed deaths.
The Afghan health ministry spokesperson confirmed the deaths of three further people. According to AFP, one of the victims was a youngster in the Laghman province, which is located close to the Pakistani border.
As the earthquake hit, many people were out celebrating Norwuz, the Persian New Year.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan has requested immediate assistance from disaster relief organisations.
An area of 1,000 kilometres was affected, including parts of India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan, as reported by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.
Being near the boundary between the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates makes them more likely in the area.
Afghanistan’s deadliest earthquake in over 25 years occurred in June of last year, when a 5.9-magnitude tremor slammed the region of Paktika, killing more than a thousand people.
To read our article about “7.8 magnitude Earthquake jolted Turkey and Syria” click here.
