10 dead in Kunar as quake rocks eastern zone

KABUL (Pajhwok): A magnitude-5.3 earthquake rocked eastern Kunar, Nangarhar and Laghman provinces in the wee hours of Monday, area residents and officials said.

Preliminary information from the affected areas near the Pakistan border indicated at least 10 fatalities. The death toll may increase.

The earthquake left 10 people dead in Nurgal district, according to a Kunar official, who said dozens of houses were also razed.

The earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale hit areas, including Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar, said the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The predawn quake struck at 2:27am at a depth of 10 kilometres in Asadabad. The temblor was also felt in Kabul, Nuristan and Laghman, locals said.

In neighbouring Pakistan, tremors were felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Mardan, Abbottabad, Swabi, Mohmand, Bajaur, Buner and other areas.

A devastating earthquake hit southeastern eastern Afghanistan in June, wreaking havoc in Paktika and Khost provinces, where 1,500 people were killed and 2000 others wounded.

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