Afghanistan’s deadliest earthquake in 20 years kills 1,000 and injures 1,500 folks within the provinces of Paktika and Khost.
- No less than 1,000 folks have been killed and greater than 600 injured after a magnitude 5.9 earthquake rocked distant elements of southeastern Afghanistan.
- Some 130 injured folks have been transferred to hospitals, in response to the United Nations.
- Authorities say tons of of properties have been destroyed within the underdeveloped area.
- Tremors might be felt in neighbouring Pakistan and Iran, the place there have been no fast studies of injury or casualties.
These are the most recent updates:
27 seconds in the past (17:50 GMT)
UN chief ‘saddened’ by Afghanistan earthquake
UN Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres says he was “saddened” by the lethal earthquake that hit jap Afghanistan.
“I used to be saddened to listen to of the tragic lack of life brought on by the earthquake,” Guterres mentioned.
“My coronary heart goes out to the folks of Afghanistan who're already reeling from the influence of years of battle, financial hardship and starvation. I convey my deep condolences to the households of the victims and need speedy restoration to the injured,” he added.
“The United Nations in Afghanistan is absolutely mobilized. Our groups are already on the bottom assessing the wants and offering preliminary help,” he mentioned.
30 minutes in the past (17:20 GMT)
US assessing response to Afghanistan earthquake: White Home
Jake Sullivan, US nationwide safety advisor, says President Joe Biden has directed USAID and different federal authorities entities to evaluate the way it can reply to assist these most affected by Afghanistan’s earthquake.
“We're dedicated to persevering with our help for the wants of the Afghan folks as we stand with them throughout and within the aftermath of this horrible tragedy,” Sullivan mentioned in a press release launched by the White Home.
2 hours in the past (15:59 GMT)
Turkey in greatest place to ship rescue groups to Afghanistan: UN
The United Nations says it doesn't have search and rescue capabilities in Afghanistan and Turkey is “greatest positioned” to supply it.
“We spoke about it with the embassy of Turkey right here on the bottom and so they’re ready for the formal request,” Ramiz Alakbarov, the deputy UN envoy in Afghanistan, mentioned.
“We can make such request solely after the dialogue with the de-facto authorities and based mostly on what's the actuality on the bottom,” he mentioned.
“Our groups wouldn't have particular tools to take folks from beneath the rubble. This has to rely totally on the efforts of the de-facto authorities, which additionally has sure limitations in that respect,” he added.
Villages ‘razed to the bottom’
Chatting with Al Jazeera, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman for Afghanistan’s ministry of overseas affairs, says complete villages have been razed to the bottom.
“Preliminary preliminary data suggests 990 civilians have misplaced their lives and greater than 600 are wounded. Whole villages have been razed to the bottom,” Balkhi mentioned.
“The federal government, regardless of the sanctions which were imposed by the worldwide neighborhood and its property been frozen, has achieved no matter it could actually in its capability. The Afghan Purple Crescent has instantly dispatched emergency support to the world together with the Turkish Purple Crescent and a number of the different reduction companies which can be current right here,” he added.
“The prime minister of Afghanistan has introduced 100 million afghani, the native forex, money help to the victims and their households,” he mentioned.
3 hours in the past (14:43 GMT)
About 1,800 properties destroyed in a single district: UN
The UN youngsters’s company says there are folks nonetheless trapped beneath the rubble.
Chatting with UK broadcaster Sky, Sam Mort, UNICEF’S Chief of Communication, Advocacy and Civic Engagement, mentioned about 1,800 properties had been destroyed in one of many affected districts.
“These are quite simple properties product of mud bricks that crumble actually, actually simply,” she mentioned.
“We're getting some groups into some areas, however the extra rural and distant areas which were affected by landslides, we’ve had a variety of rain within the final 48 hours, we’ve obtained roads blocked, so it’s tougher to get to a few of these areas,” she added.
4 hours in the past (14:16 GMT)
Pope Francis affords prayers for Afghanistan quake victims
Pope Francis has referred to as on the world to assist Afghanistan because the nation offers with the consequences of immediately’s devastating earthquake.
“In the previous few hours, an earthquake brought about victims and large injury in Afghanistan. I wish to specific my closeness to the injured and people who have been affected by the quake. And, particularly, I pray for many who misplaced their lives and their households,” Francis mentioned.
“I hope that with the assistance of all we are able to ease the struggling of the pricey Afghan inhabitants,” he added.
4 hours in the past (14:05 GMT)
Timeline: Lethal earthquakes in Afghanistan
Afghanistan has a protracted historical past of highly effective tremors which have brought about fatalities.
The magnitude 5.9 tremor within the early hours of Wednesday flattened tons of of properties within the southeastern provinces of Paktika and Khost, killing at the least 1,000 folks and injuring some 600.
Right here is an inventory of the highly effective quakes which have brought about fatalities within the nation over the previous 30 years.
4 hours in the past (13:53 GMT)
China says prepared to supply emergency help to Afghanistan
China says it is able to present emergency humanitarian help to Afghanistan following immediately’s highly effective earthquake.
Chatting with reporters at a each day briefing, Chinese language overseas ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressed condolences to the victims of the earthquake and confirmed that no Chinese language casualties had to date been reported.
“Afghanistan is a pleasant neighbour of China, and China is keen to supply emergency humanitarian help in response to the wants of the Afghan aspect,” Wang mentioned.
4 hours in the past (13:39 GMT)
Video exhibits Afghanistan earthquake destruction
Video courtesy Ismail Zadran
4 hours in the past (13:35 GMT)
Earthquake the “very last thing” Afghanistan wanted
Chatting with Al Jazeera, Obaidullah Baheer, founding father of Save Afghanistan from Starvation, mentioned the devastating earthquake that hit Afghanistan will make the already dire humanitarian scenario within the nation worse.
“The scenario is horrific. That is the very last thing Afghanistan wanted. They had been already dealing with one of many worst humanitarian crises in trendy historical past and now this,” Baheer instructed Al Jazeera.
“That is in all probability one of many worst earthquakes Afghanistan has seen in recent times. The issue is a variety of these areas and Afghanistan typically lies on a faultline. A lot of the areas hit by the quake are mountainous areas and folks dwell on the edges of the mountains or within the valleys which makes them particularly susceptible to landslides that come because of earthquakes,” he added.
5 hours in the past (12:25 GMT)
Greater than 130 wounded transferred to hospitals: OCHA
No less than 130 injured folks have been transferred to Sharan, Paktika and Urgun hospitals, the United Nations’ Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has mentioned in its first flash replace following Afghanistan’s quake.
As much as 1,800 properties had been reportedly destroyed or broken in Gayan, representing 70 p.c of the district’s housing inventory, the organisation mentioned.
The ministry of protection dispatched 5 helicopters to Paktika province to facilitate medical evacuations, in addition to one medical staff to Gayan district.
UNICEF has additionally deployed at the least 12 groups of well being staff to Gayan district, and a number of other cell well being and vitamin groups to Barmal district in Paktika province and Spera district in Khost province.
5 hours in the past (12:23 GMT)
UN, EU supply emergency help to affected communities
The United Nations and European Union have provided help in response to the magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck Afghanistan’s southeastern provinces.
“Inter-agency evaluation groups have already been deployed to plenty of affected areas,” the UN Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Afghanistan tweeted.
Tomas Niklasson, EU particular envoy for Afghanistan, tweeted: “The EU is monitoring the scenario and stands able to coordinate and supply EU emergency help to folks and communities affected.”
A strong earthquake has hit southeastern Afghanistan with many casualties. The EU is monitoring the scenario and stands able to coordinate and supply EU emergency help to folks and communities affected.@ECHO_Asia@RaffaellaIodic2https://t.co/LtSBG7csNO
— Tomas Niklasson (@tomas_niklasson) June 22, 2022
6 hours in the past (12:18 GMT)
Taliban requires worldwide support as Western sanctions persist
Mounting a rescue operation might show a serious take a look at for the Taliban, who took over the nation in August and have been reduce off from a lot worldwide help due to sanctions.
Afghanistan’s emergency response groups had been stretched skinny even earlier than the Taliban takeover as they handled pure disasters that steadily struck the nation.
Anas Haqqani, a senior Taliban official, mentioned “the federal government is working inside its capabilities.
“We hope that the Worldwide Neighborhood & support companies may even assist our folks on this dire scenario,” he wrote on Twitter.
2/2- The federal government is working inside its capabilities. We hope that the Worldwide Neighborhood & support companies may even assist our folks on this dire scenario.
— Anas Haqqani(انس حقاني) (@AnasHaqqani313) June 22, 2022
6 hours in the past (11:42 GMT)
Dying toll from devastating Afghanistan quake tops 1,000
Greater than 1,000 folks have been killed and upwards of 1,500 injured in southeastern Afghanistan, the Tradition and Data Division has instructed Al Jazeera.
Neighbouring Pakistan’s Meteorological Division mentioned the quake’s epicentre was in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, some 50km (31 miles) southwest of town of Khost. Buildings had been additionally broken in Khost province, and tremors had been felt some 375km (230 miles) away within the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.
6 hours in the past (11:37 GMT)
State of affairs ‘getting worse by the hour’: UNICEF
The scenario in Afghanistan’s jap provinces hit by a magnitude 5.9 earthquake is “getting worse by the hour,” Samantha Mort, Chief of Communication, Advocacy and Civic Engagement at UNICEF, has instructed Al Jazeera.
Mort mentioned entry to the distant provinces was difficult by current landslides resulting from heavy rainfall however that UNICEF’s groups had been in a position to attain a number of the affected areas.
“There can be determined efforts ongoing for the time being to uncover people who find themselves trapped beneath the rubble and get them to hospital,” she added. “Our groups are there giving emergency first support to those that are injured.”
6 hours in the past (11:21 GMT)
PM convenes emergency assembly to coordinate reduction efforts
Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund has convened an emergency assembly on the presidential palace to coordinate the reduction efforts.
Bilal Karimi, a deputy spokesman for the Taliban authorities, urged support companies to ship groups to the world.
“We urge all support companies to ship groups to the world instantly to stop additional disaster,” he wrote on Twitter.
UN resident coordinator in Afghanistan, Ramiz Alakbarov, mentioned extra assist was being mobilised.
Please comply with us for the most recent updates on the scenario&response, groups are on grounds delivering first support in affected areas in Paktika, Giyan and Barmal. Extra assistance is being mobilized https://t.co/N57aee7tXc
— Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov (@RamizAlakbarov) June 22, 2022
7 hours in the past (11:11 GMT)
Helicopters taking our bodies, wounded to Kabul and different provinces
Rescuers have rushed to the distant Paktika province by helicopter, some 50km (31 miles) southwest of town of Khost.
Individuals wrapped in blankets had been ready to board helicopters, the Related Press reported. Some had been handled on the bottom.
Ismail Zadran, a neighborhood resident and social activist of Zerok district of Paktika province, instructed Al Jazeera that 152 folks had been killed within the Geyan district and a number of other hundred had been wounded. In Danggar Algad space, within the Barmal district of Paktika province, 140 folks had been killed and a number of other hundred had been wounded.
7 hours in the past (11:00 GMT)
A whole lot probably trapped beneath the rubble: Official
Muhammad Amin Huzaifa, head of Paktika Tradition and Data Division, instructed Al Jazeera the earthquake made victims in Geyan, Zerok, Barmal and Naka districts of the Paktika province.
Houses had been razed to the bottom and tons of of individuals had been probably trapped beneath the rubble, Huzaifa mentioned.
7 hours in the past (10:30 GMT)
Afghan authorities: A whole lot of properties destroyed in Paktika
Authorities are reporting tons of of properties have been destroyed within the underdeveloped Paktika area, Afghan journalist Ali M Latifi mentioned, reporting from Kabul.
“Authorities have despatched helicopters and are calling for support companies to come back in and rescue folks from the rubble. However it’s a distant space and more durable to achieve,” Latifi instructed Al Jazeera.
An earthquake in a distant a part of Afghanistan has killed at the least 280 folks and injured tons of.
Journalist @alibomaye explains why underfunded support companies are struggling to reply ⤵️
🔗: https://t.co/lkecToKpFHpic.twitter.com/V1MQ1zUecZ
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 22, 2022
8 hours in the past (10:05 GMT)
Dying toll from Afghanistan earthquake at the least 920: Catastrophe ministry
The demise toll from an in a single day earthquake in Afghanistan has risen to at the least 920, the nation’s deputy minister for catastrophe administration has mentioned.
“Thus far the data now we have is that at the least 920 folks have been martyred and 600 injured,” Sharafuddin Muslim instructed a press convention.
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