Afghanistan: dozens dead in a powerful earthquake

An earthquake occurred near the town of Khost, in southeastern Afghanistan, very close to the border with Pakistan.

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At least 100 people were killed in an earthquake that struck near the town of Khost in southeastern Afghanistan, very close to the border with Pakistan.

The authorities fear that the balance sheet will increase.

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With our correspondent in Islamabad,

We have been trying for a few hours to reach the inhabitants we know on the spot but the telephone network is not working, so we have not heard from them for the moment.

The earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter scale was strongly felt on the spot but also several kilometers from the epicenter, so far in Islamabad where some people felt slight tremors.

We are about 400 kilometers from the epicenter in southeastern Afghanistan.

Authorities call for help

The region that was affected is very mountainous, steep, and in the villages the houses are often made of adobe, therefore very fragile, and resist badly to the earthquakes which are frequent in Afghanistan, in particular in the mountain range of Hindu Kush which sits at the junction between the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.

Last January, western Afghanistan was hit by an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3;

26 people had been killed.

Afghan authorities are calling for help to rescue residents trapped in the rubble of their homes.

We know that the resources of the Taliban regime are limited.

Afghanistan is facing a serious humanitarian crisis as the country, which was largely living on an infusion of international aid, saw that aid cut off after the Taliban took power last August.

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• Pakistan

• Afghanistan

• Natural disasters