AFGHANISTAN WAS ROCKED BY ITS DEADLIEST EARTHQUAKE IN DECADES ON WEDNESDAY WHEN A MAGNITUDE 5.9 EARTHQUAKE STRUCK THE COUNTRY’S EAST, KILLING MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLE AND WOUNDING MORE THAN 1,500 PEOPLE.
• THE HUMANITARIAN DISASTER COMES AT A DIFFICULT TIME FOR THE TALIBAN-RULED COUNTRY, CURRENTLY IN THE THROES OF HUNGER AND ECONOMIC CRISES.
• THE SHOCKS HIT AT 1:24 A.M. LOCAL TIME ON WEDNESDAY AROUND 46 KILOMETERS (28.5 MILES) SOUTHWEST OF THE CITY OF KHOST, WHICH LIES CLOSE TO THE COUNTRY’S BORDER WITH PAKISTAN, ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (USGS).
• THE QUAKE REGISTERED AT A DEPTH OF 10 KILOMETERS, ACCORDING TO USGS, WHICH DESIGNATED IT AT YELLOW ALERT LEVEL — INDICATING A RELATIVELY LOCALIZED IMPACT. THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES IS EXPECTED TO RISE AS SEARCH AND EFFORTS CONTINUE.
