More than 600 people have been killed and over 1,300 injured after a powerful earthquake and a series of aftershocks struck eastern Afghanistan yesterday night.
The quake, which shook buildings as far as Kabul and Islamabad, flattened homes near the epicentre in Kunar province, where officials confirmed most of the deaths.
Another 12 people were killed and more than 250 injured in neighbouring Nangarhar province.
The Taliban authorities and the United Nations have launched rescue operations, with emergency teams delivering aid to affected areas.
The US Geological Survey reported that the quake struck at a shallow depth of eight kilometres near Jalalabad, making it more destructive.
Afghanistan, already grappling with poverty and limited foreign aid, has a history of deadly quakes, including a 2022 disaster in Paktika that claimed more than 1,000 lives.