ISLAMABAD:In Afghanistan, a powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.1 killed at least 250 people and injured over 150 others on early Wednesday.
According to reports, the death toll is likely to rise. The quake struck about 44km from the south-eastern city of Khost. The majority of confirmed deaths were reported in the province of Paktika, where 100 people were killed and 250 injured. Besides, deaths were also reported in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Khost.
According to US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 1:54am (PST), about 44 km (27 miles) from the city of Khost, near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, at a depth of 51 km. The shaking was felt over some 500km by about 119 million people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.
According to reports, in Pakistan, tremors were felt in Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Kohat, Mohmand, Swat, Buner and other parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.