Eastern Afghanistan earthquake death toll rises to 1,124, 3,251 injured

KABUL, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) — The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan has climbed to 1,124, with 3,251 others injured, according to the Afghan Red Crescent Society on Tuesday.

Over 8,000 residential houses, primarily in Kunar province, have been completely or partially destroyed due to the earthquake, Juma Khan Nayeel, head of information and publication at the Afghan Red Crescent Society, told Xinhua.

Relief and rescue teams are working to pull out people trapped under the rubble, and the figures for fatalities and injuries have not yet been finalized.

The earthquake struck the eastern part of Afghanistan at 11:47 p.m. local time on Aug. 31, with the epicenter located 27 km northeast of Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, at a depth of eight km.■