A devastating magnitude-7.5 earthquake stroke the countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan on Monday.
The earthquake, described as “the strongest one felt in recent decades” by the chief executive of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah, has caused 345 deaths, and more than 1,800 injured people, according to the latest toll.
The epicenter was located in the province of Badakhshan, in the northeast of Afghanistan, which borders Pakistan, Tajikistan and China. Most of the casualties have been reported across the Pakistani border, where there’s more population.
Shah Waliullah Adeeb, Governor of Badakhshan, reported that more than 1,500 houses were either completely, or partially damaged.
In the city of Taloqan, 12 schoolgirls were reported dead, and 35 more were injured, as they attempted to escape from their school.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi posted on his Twitter account that he was “very pained” to hear this news:
President @ashrafghani told me due to the quake a school building collapsed & children lost their lives. I was very pained to hear of this.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 26, 2015
He also offered his condolences and “all possible assistance” to Presidents Mohammad Ashraf Ghani from Afghanistan, and Nawaz Sharif from Pakistan.
Rescue helicopters have been sent to the most remote and inaccessible areas of this mountainous and cold region. It has been reported that, despite the blistering cold, thousands of people preferred to spend the night outdoors, for fear of aftershocks and landslides.
Image credit: AP on http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34636269
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