Over 700 Killed in Deadly Kunar Earthquake

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Taliban officials in Kunar province say the death toll from last night’s earthquake has risen to more than 700 people, with at least 1,000 others injured.

Sources at Kunar’s Disaster Management Authority said the highest casualties were reported in the districts of Noorgul, Swkay, Watapur, Manogi, Chapa Dara, and Shigal. In Mazar darrah of Noorgul district alone, more than 600 people lost their lives and the entire valley has been destroyed.

Taliban officials have confirmed that several villages in Noorgul were completely wiped out. However, national television under Taliban control reported the death toll at around 500.

The quake also caused casualties and damage in the provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, Nuristan, and Panjshir. At least 10 people were killed in Nangarhar.

Since midnight, several earthquakes have shaken eastern Afghanistan. The first quake, measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale, struck at 11:47 p.m. northeast of Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar, followed by at least five aftershocks.