At least twelve dead in strong earthquake

At least twelve dead in strong earthquake

Published: Just now

full screenPeople gathered at a hospital in the city of Saidu Sharif after the quake. Photo: Naveed Ali/AP/TT

At least twelve people have died in the powerful earthquake in Afghanistan and Pakistan. According to the United States Geological Survey USGS, the quake centered near Jurm in northeastern Afghanistan had a magnitude of 6.5.

The quake struck around 9:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday and lasted more than 30 seconds. The earthquake was felt from Central Asia to New Delhi, India, more than 200 miles away.

“It was a strong earthquake and we feared maximum damage due to the intensity – that’s why we issued an alert,” said Bilal Faizi, spokesman for Pakistan’s emergency services in Khyber Pakhtunkwa province.

– But fortunately, the fears turned out to be wrong. Residents panicked due to the magnitude of the quake, but damage was minimal.

Afghanistan is often hit by earthquakes. In connection with an earthquake in June last year, over 1,000 people lost their lives and tens of thousands became homeless. That quake had a magnitude of 5.9.

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