Afghanistan’s Taliban government officials have urged aid organizations to assist in the rescue efforts in remote mountainous areas following a 6.0-magnitude earthquake in the eastern part of the country.
The police chief of Kunar province told the BBC that roads to the affected areas are blocked due to landslides caused by flooding and quake aftershocks. He said rescue operations can only be carried out by air.
Taliban officials said they have limited resources and are requesting help from international organizations, including helicopters, to reach the affected areas.
More than 250 people have been killed and 500 injured, the country’s Information Ministry told Turkish news agency Anadolu. A ministry official said casualties have been reported in the districts of Nur Gal, Sawki, Watpur, Manogi, and Chapa Dara in Kunar province.
He added that the figures for the dead and injured are not final, as officials are still communicating with residents in many remote areas, and aid teams are on their way.
Source: BBC, Anadolu Agency