This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/8003573.stm
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Two quakes rock east Afghanistan | Two quakes rock east Afghanistan |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Two moderate earthquakes have hit eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 19 people and destroying dozens of homes, officials say. | Two moderate earthquakes have hit eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 19 people and destroying dozens of homes, officials say. |
| The US Geological Survey says a 5.5-magnitude quake struck at 0157 local time (2127 GMT), followed by a 5.1-magnitude aftershock two hours later. | The US Geological Survey says a 5.5-magnitude quake struck at 0157 local time (2127 GMT), followed by a 5.1-magnitude aftershock two hours later. |
| The quakes struck in Nangarhar province, about 50 miles (80km) east of Kabul near the Pakistan border. | The quakes struck in Nangarhar province, about 50 miles (80km) east of Kabul near the Pakistan border. |
| At least two villages were reported to have suffered serious damage. | At least two villages were reported to have suffered serious damage. |
| The interior ministry in Kabul and provincial officials put the death toll at 19, while local police said at least 20 had been injured. | The interior ministry in Kabul and provincial officials put the death toll at 19, while local police said at least 20 had been injured. |
| "The police started work this morning. All the 19 dead bodies were picked up by police," ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashari told the AFP news agency. | "The police started work this morning. All the 19 dead bodies were picked up by police," ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashari told the AFP news agency. |
| "The work is going on and the rubble is being removed to try to find more dead bodies or injured people." | "The work is going on and the rubble is being removed to try to find more dead bodies or injured people." |
| Villagers told reporters that the death toll was higher. | Villagers told reporters that the death toll was higher. |
| Quake-prone | Quake-prone |
| Survivors in Mir Gadkhel village were scrambling through the rubble of flattened houses to recover bodies after the quake, Reuters news agency reports. | Survivors in Mir Gadkhel village were scrambling through the rubble of flattened houses to recover bodies after the quake, Reuters news agency reports. |
| "Three of my family members were killed and seven are injured," villager Gul Mohammad said. | "Three of my family members were killed and seven are injured," villager Gul Mohammad said. |
| "I think about 40 people have died. Hundreds of houses have been destroyed". | "I think about 40 people have died. Hundreds of houses have been destroyed". |
| The earthquake struck a remote area that is difficult to reach by vehicle, the BBC's Martin Patience in Kabul says. | |
| The mountains of northern Afghanistan and Pakistan are hit by dozens of minor earthquakes every year. | |
| Because many Afghan homes are made of dried mud, even minor tremors can cause high casualties and widespread damage, our correspondent says. | |
| A 7.6-magnitude earthquake that rocked north-west Pakistan in October 2005 killed 74,000 people and displaced 3.5 million. | A 7.6-magnitude earthquake that rocked north-west Pakistan in October 2005 killed 74,000 people and displaced 3.5 million. |