Kabul, Sep 02 (V7N) – A devastating earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale has struck eastern Afghanistan, leaving at least 1,411 people dead and more than 3,251 injured, according to Reuters. The toll is feared to rise further as many remain missing.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake hit at 11:17 p.m. local time on Sunday (August 31), with its epicenter 27 kilometers east-northeast of Jalalabad at a shallow depth of just 8 kilometers.

Strong aftershocks, including one measuring 5.2, further complicated rescue operations in the disaster-hit areas. The tremors were felt as far away as Kabul, nearly 200 kilometers from the epicenter, and Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, about 400 kilometers away.

Authorities warned that the full scale of devastation is yet to be assessed, as many remote villages remain cut off.

END/SMA/AJ