The Taliban said Monday that at least 622 people were killed and more than 1,500 injured after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar overnight.
Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Interior Ministry, said 610 people died in Kunar and 12 in Nangarhar. He reported 1,300 injuries in Kunar and 255 in Nangarhar.
The US Geological Survey said the quake hit southeastern Afghanistan early Monday, followed by two aftershocks. The first registered 4.5 magnitude and the second 5.2, both centred in Nangarhar province.
Earthquakes are common in Afghanistan, where poor infrastructure and weak emergency response systems often lead to high casualty figures.
