According to Taliban officials, a powerful earthquake in eastern Afghanistan killed over 920 people and injured at least 600 more early Wednesday.
The majority of the damage from the 6.1 magnitude earthquake occurred in the Paktika and Khost provinces, near the Pakistan border, and officials expect the death toll to rise.
It was felt as far away as Kabul, the capital, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
Images show landslides and ruined mud-brick homes in eastern Paktika province, where rescuers are rushing to treat the injured.
According to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, hundreds of houses have been destroyed, and the death toll is expected to rise.
It is Afghanistan’s deadliest earthquake in two decades.
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Earthquakes frequently cause significant damage in Afghanistan, where many rural dwellings are unstable or poorly constructed.
According to reports, 1000 people are dead and 1500 more are injured because rescue teams are still searching for those buried under the ground.
Communication is difficult following the earthquake due to damage to mobile phone towers, and the death toll could rise even further, according to a local journalist.
