Supreme leader urges world, NGOs to help quake victims

KABUL (Pajhwok): ‘Islamic Emirate’ Supreme Leader Mawlavi Haibatullah Akhundzada has urged relief organizations and the international community to support earthquake victims in Khost and Paktika provinces.

In his condolence message, he said: “The Islamic Emirate’s Natural Disaster Ministry, relevant institutions, governors and all Afghans are directed to reach out to the earthquake victims using all their available resources and help excavate martyred and provide treatment and shelter to those injured.”

In his message, the Islamic Emirate supreme leader urged the international community and relief organizations to assist the earthquake victims.

The earthquake of magnitude 6.1 killed at least 920 people in Afghanistan early on Wednesday, disaster management officials said, with more than 600 injured and the toll expected to grow as information trickles in from remote mountain villages.

Wednesday's quake was the deadliest since 2002. According to US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 1:54am (PST), about 44 km (27 miles) from the city of Khost, near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, at a depth of 51 km.

The tremors were felt over some 500km by about 119 million people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.

nh/ma