Powerful earthquake hits Afghanistan, killing at least 280 people

"280 people died and more than 600 were injured in the earthquake in the provinces of Paktika and Khost on Tuesday night", - an Afghan official told the local Bakhtar news agency.

Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera reports 255 dead and 150 injured. Most of the victims were identified in the province of Paktika. It is also known about the dead and wounded in the provinces of Nangarhar and Khost. At the moment, the rubble is being cleared, search and rescue operations are underway.

Tremors were recorded on the night of June 22, 44 km southwest of the city of Khost. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the magnitude of the earthquake was estimated at 6.1 at night and 5.9 in the morning. The epicenter of the tremors lay at a depth of 10 km.