Rescue and relief teams are struggling to reach survivors of a deadly earthquake that hit Afghanistan’s remote southeast, killing at least 1,000 people and injuring hundreds more even as the country battles multiple humanitarian crises.
The eastern Paktika province, home to some of the country’s most impoverished farmers and cattle herders, was the worst hit, several officials from the Taliban government said. Casualties and damage were also reported in nearby Khost and Nangahar provinces, which border Pakistan.
The 5.9 magnitude earthquake that hit predawn Wednesday was the worst natural disaster to hit the nation since a landslide in 2014 killed 2,000 people in the northeastern Badakhshan province. The Taliban, which has sent rescue helicopters and officials to the affected areas, has urged the international community to step in and help with relief and rescue efforts.
