New quake of magnitude 5.5 shakes devastated Afghan region as death toll exceeds 1,400

An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 shook southeastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, sparking fears of further damage and destruction almost two days after a quake of magnitude 6 killed more than 1,400 people and injured thousands more in the same region.

Tuesday's quake occurred at a relatively shallow depth of 10 km (6 miles), the same as the one that struck at midnight on Sunday. That was one of Afghanistan's worst quakes in years, flattening houses in remote villages.

It was unclear immediately how much damage Tuesday's new quake had caused.

The difficult terrain has badly hindered rescue workers' relief efforts in the isolated villages of the mountainous region.

At least 1,411 people are known to have died so far, 3,124 have been injured and more than 5,400 houses destroyed, Taliban administration spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said.

More people are feared trapped under rubble, said the Afghan Red Crescent Society, a humanitarian group working in the region. The U.N. coordinator in Afghanistan said the death toll was sure to rise further.


Reuters