Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Strikes Southeastern Afghanistan... At Least 920 Dead

The Number of Victims Continues to Increase

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] A strong earthquake struck southeastern Afghanistan, resulting in at least 920 deaths and over 600 injuries as of the 21st (local time), according to a report citing the announcement by the ruling Taliban in the UK.

According to the report, the earthquake occurred in Paktika Province, about 44 km from the southeastern small city of Khost, Afghanistan, at 1:30 a.m. local time. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre stated that the earthquake was measured at a magnitude of 5.9.

The Taliban urged relief agencies to quickly move to the affected areas following the earthquake.

Afghanistan's response capability to natural disasters has become significantly vulnerable due to decades of civil war. Before the Taliban took power, attempts were made to improve Afghanistan's emergency medical system, but it is reported that there were still very few aircraft and helicopters available for rescue teams.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that over the past decade, more than 7,000 people have died from earthquakes in Afghanistan. This averages to about 560 deaths per year due to earthquakes.