Strong Earthquake kills more than 900 in Eastern Afghanistan, Taliban seeks help

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At least 920 people have been killed and 600 others injured in a major earthquake in Barmala, Ziruk, Naka and Gayan districts of Paktika province of Afghanistan last night. The death toll could rise if the Taliban rulers did not provide emergency help. According to the spokesperson of the Taliban regime,they don't have enough resources to provide relief and has asked the international agencies for immediate help.</p>
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“Unfortunately, last night there was a severe earthquake in four districts of Paktika province, which killed and injured hundreds of our countrymen and destroyed dozens of houses. We urge all aid agencies to send teams to the area immediately to prevent further catastrophe,” Bilal Karimi, the deputy spokesperson tweeted asking for help. </p>
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په ډير تأسف سره، تیره شپه د پکتیکا ولایت څلورو ولسوالیو کې درنه زلزله شوې، چې له امله یې زموږ سلګونه هیوادوال شهیدان او ټپیان شوي او لسګونه کورونه ویجاړ شوي دي.<br />
له ټولو مرستندویه ادارو غوښتنه کوو، چې په بیړنۍ توګه سیمې ته ټیمونه ولیږي، ترڅو د فاجعې د لا پراخیدو مخه ونیول شي.</p>
— Bilal Karimi(بلال کریمي) (@BilalKarimi21) <a href="https://twitter.com/BilalKarimi21/status/1539474344929378304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Pictures and videos of the quake shared on social media aftermath showed completely destroyed mud houses, with survivors, including children, searching the ruins for their belongings.</p>
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At least 250 people have lost their lives after a powerful earthquake jolted <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a>'s Paktika province.<br />
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Prayers for the victims of this horrendous tragedy. Sadly, the world has been quick to forget about <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghans?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghans</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paktika?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paktika</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AfghanWomen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AfghanWomen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/earthquake?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#earthquake</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rcygdaq2OR">pic.twitter.com/Rcygdaq2OR</a></p>
— Hamza Azhar Salam (@HamzaAzhrSalam) <a href="https://twitter.com/HamzaAzhrSalam/status/1539488463044718592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Tragic news:<br />
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Last night’s earthquake has caused severe losses in Paktika province. Afghan Air-force is leading the rescue efforts. According to unofficial figures from local sources more than 255 people have lost their lives and around 155 are injured. <a href="https://t.co/6knXaSlHSD">pic.twitter.com/6knXaSlHSD</a></p>
— Muhammad Jalal (@MJalal313) <a href="https://twitter.com/MJalal313/status/1539477043892584448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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په <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#خوست</a> کې بېګانۍ زلزله کې لسګونه کسان وژل شوي<br />
د خوست د اطلاعاتو او فرهنګ رییس شبیر احمد عثماني وايي چې بېګانۍ زلزلې له امله د دغه ولایت د سپیرې ولسوالۍ په افغان دوبۍ سیمه کې ۲۵ تنه وژل شوي او ۹۵ نور ټپيان شوي دي. ښايي د تلفاتو شمېر نور هم لوړ شي. <a href="https://t.co/DvM9rc4DmX">pic.twitter.com/DvM9rc4DmX</a></p>
— Bakhtar News Agency (@BakhtarNA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BakhtarNA/status/1539480180489691141?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: At least 255 people have been killed and 155 others injured in an earthquake in Barmala, Ziruk, Naka and Gayan districts of Paktika province on Tuesday night.<br />
Local officials say the death toll could rise if the central government did not provide emergency help. <a href="https://t.co/YlByfyArtG">pic.twitter.com/YlByfyArtG</a></p>
— Bakhtar News Agency (@BakhtarNA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BakhtarNA/status/1539481488307126273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The quake struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the city of Khost, near the Pakistani border, at a depth of 51 km, the U.S. Geological Survey said.</p>
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"Strong and long jolts," a resident of the Afghan capital, Kabul, posted on the website of the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC)</p>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Earthquake?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Earthquake</a> 65 km SE of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gard%C4%93z?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gardēz</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a>) 8 min ago (local time 01:24:37). Colored dots represent local shaking & damage level reported by eyeswitnesses. Share your experience via:<br />
📱<a href="https://t.co/LBaVNedgF9">https://t.co/LBaVNedgF9</a><br />
🌐<a href="https://t.co/ZCTy1tr6fr">https://t.co/ZCTy1tr6fr</a> <a href="https://t.co/RL1fgm1Glb">pic.twitter.com/RL1fgm1Glb</a></p>
— EMSC (@LastQuake) <a href="https://twitter.com/LastQuake/status/1539353239438622720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Many survivors spent the night out in the open. Scattered aid has begun to reach the area but the vast majority of victims are still waiting.</p>
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“We lost everything we had. We are homeless. Everything is buried under the rubble,” a survivor whose house was ruined told AFP.</p>
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Afghanistan is already in the grip of a humanitarian disaster, worsened after the Taliban takeover of the country in August last year. </p>
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Neighbouring Pakistan’s Meteorological Department put the earthquake at a magnitude 6.1. Tremors were felt in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, and elsewhere in Punjab province.</p>