Kabul, Sep 2: The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan has climbed to 1,124, with 3,251 others injured, according to the Afghan Red Crescent Society on Tuesday.
Over 8,000 residential houses, primarily in Kunar province, have been completely or partially destroyed due to the earthquake, Juma Khan Nayeel, head of information and publication at the Afghan Red Crescent Society, told Xinhua.
Relief and rescue teams are working to pull out people trapped under the rubble, and the figures for fatalities and injuries have not yet been finalised, Xinhua news agency reported.
The earthquake struck the eastern part of Afghanistan at 11.47 p.m. local time on August 31, with the epicentre located 27 km northeast of Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, at a depth of eight km.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed deep sorrow over the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan and conveyed India’s readiness to provide humanitarian aid.
Afghanistan quake toll hits 1,124
