At least a thousand people have been killed and more than one and a half thousand more injured in a powerful six-magnitude earthquake in the mountainous eastern provinces of Afghanistan, according to officials. It is not known how many people are still in ruined homes, often made of clay.
The ruins are excavated by hand without heavy machinery – rescue work is hampered by lack of roads and poor communications. Locals dig rows of graves to bury many of the dead. Officials warn that the number of victims could rise further.
The disaster is a challenge to the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group that took power in Afghanistan last year. Since then, many international aid organizations have left the country, exacerbating the situation. The group has called on the international community to help deal with the consequences of the disaster.
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