Death toll rises to 920 in Afghanistan earthquake - PHOTOS

An earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has killed at least 920 people an Afghan emergency official told a press briefing on Wednesday.

The Taliban's deputy minister for disaster management Sharafuddin Muslim, said that the number of dead was likely to rise.

"Unfortunately, last night there was a severe earthquake in four districts of Paktika province, which killed and injured hundreds of our countrymen and destroyed dozens of houses," local official Bilal Karimi said on Twitter earlier.

"We urge all aid agencies to send teams to the area immediately to prevent further catastrophe," Karimi said.

At least 300 people have been killed and more than 500 others injured in a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Paktika province.#Afghanistan #earthquake #paktika pic.twitter.com/quGypQR7gp

— Panra???????? (@PanraAfg) June 22, 2022

What we know so far

The magnitude 6 quake struck around 44 kilometers (27 miles) from the city of Khost, located near the border with Pakistan.

@WHO sympathizes with families of those who lost their lives & livelihoods from the #earthquake that affected some provinces of #Afghanistan. WHO Teams are on the ground to support immediate health needs, provide ambulance, medicines & trauma services & conduct needs assessment. pic.twitter.com/DSJUoTBO2W

— WHO Afghanistan (@WHOAfghanistan) June 22, 2022

Abdul Wahid Rayan, Bakhtar news agency's director general, said on Twitter that 90 houses were destroyed.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 in #Afghanistan has killed at least killed 280 people and injured more than 600 in the country's east. pic.twitter.com/M2a1li5BNZ

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) June 22, 2022

Dozens of people are believed to be trapped under the rubble.

Here are some photos sent to me by @UNICEF of the devastation caused by a 6.1 earthquake in eastern Afghanistan. Early reports at least 280 people have died. The @abcnews channel is going live to Kabul at 1830 AEST pic.twitter.com/gJX0PXdQpV

— Matthew Hodges (@matt_hodges_) June 22, 2022

Rayan said dozens were killed and injured in the earthquake in the neighboring Khost province as well.

The earthquake's tremors were felt over 500 kilometers (310 miles) by 119 million people across Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, according to the European seismological agency EMSC, which put the magnitude at 6.1.

Strong earthquake in Afghanistan, over 280 dead, more than 250 injured.
We are monitoring the situation in the country. pic.twitter.com/SJJXeg1E30

— WeWorld GVC Global (@WeWorldGlobal) June 22, 2022

Franz Marty, a freelance journalist based in Afghanistan, told DW that helicopters were sent to assist in rescue efforts as reaching the remote mountain region takes a several-hours drive.

According to Marty, medics believe the death toll is likely much higher than the officially confirmed figure, with a doctor saying around 400 people were killed.

Region vulnerable to earthquakes

Afghanistan's mountainous northeast lies in the area where the Indian tectonic plate collides with the Eurasian plate to the north, making the region vulnerable to devastating earthquakes.

In 2015, more than 200 people were killed in northeastern Afghanistan and neighboring northern Pakistan as a major earthquake hit.

Around 1,000 people were killed in a 6.1-magnitude quake in 2002, four years after another devastating 6.1 earthquake and subsequent tremors in Afghanistan's remote northeast killed at least 4,500 people.