Afghanistan Earthquake Causes Fear; No Casualties Reported

Early Tuesday morning a 6.7-magnitude earthquake shook Afghanistan’s northeastern Hindu Kush region, causing fear among recent Pakistan quake survivors although no casualties were reported thus far.

The vibrations of the Afghanistan quake reached more than 24 cities and as far as the Pakistani capital Islamabad and the northern areas of Balakot and Muzzafrabad, where thousands were killed in the 7.6–magnitude South Asia quake on Oct 8. According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake hit deep underground and thus its force and damage was diminished.

World Vision (WV) announced that its staff in Mansehra, in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province, also felt the quake but were safe. Furthermore, WV does not operate in the Hindu Kush region and none of its program areas in western Afghanistan were affected.

“The quake hit an area in Afghanistan that is sparsely populated and although it has compounded people’s fears of aftershocks, we were spared a major catastrophe," said Steve Goudswaard, Relief Director for the Pakistan earthquake response.

Staff will continue to monitor reports of casualties and damage while World Vision’s Pakistan earthquake response team continues to deliver food and shelter materials to thousands of survivors bracing against the Himalayan winter, WV reported.