ISTANBUL, Sept 1 — The United Nations (UN) refugee chief has said that the recent earthquake in Afghanistan has added death and destruction to the country’s many challenges, anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.
“A major earthquake has caused many casualties in Afghanistan. This adds death and destruction to other challenges including drought and the forced return of millions of Afghans from neighbouring countries,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi wrote on the US social media platform X on Monday.
He expressed hope that the donor community would support relief efforts.
Officials and local media reported that the death toll from the 6.0 magnitude earthquake, which struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday while most residents were asleep, has risen to 800.
The toll is expected to climb further as many people are feared trapped under rubble, according to officials.
Earlier, REUTERS reported that the authorities have launched a major rescue operation in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province after the magnitude earthquake struck late Sunday.
An Information Ministry official told Anadolu Ajansi (AA) that helicopters had been deployed to rescue and airlift the injured, as landslides blocked roads and prevented rescue teams from reaching several affected areas.
Locals described the quake as one of the most powerful to hit the country in recent years.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the earthquake at 11.47pm local time (1917GMT), 27km east-northeast of Jalalabad at a depth of eight kilometres.
Casualties were reported in Nur Gal, Sawki, Watpur, Manogi and Chapa Dara districts of Kunar province.
