Women, children among 26 killed in Badghis quake

QALA-I-NAW (Pajhwok): More than two dozen people have been killed as a result of an earthquake in western Badghis province, an official said on Tuesday.

Mohammad Saleh Purdil, administrative chief for Qadis district, said roofs of several houses collapsed due to the earthquake in the area.

He said a number of people, including women and children, were killed in Monday’s temblor.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the epicentre of the quake –measuring 5.3 on the open-ended Richter scale — was in Qadis district.

But Director of Information and Culture Baz Mohammad Sarwari put the death toll at 26 people. He said hundreds of homes were destroyed.

He told Reuters: “Unfortunately, our initial reports show 26 people, including five women and four children, have been killed and four others injured.”

Mullah Janan Saeqe, head of the Emergency Operations Centre of the Ministry of State for Emergency Affairs, confirmed the death toll. He said more than 700 houses had been damaged.

sa/mud

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