The earthquake struck a mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan, flattening stone and mud-brick homes and killing at least 1,000 people, according to The Associated Press. The temblor, which could be felt as far as 310 miles away, destroyed structures in rural Khost and Paktika provinces, the AP reported.
The quake was Afghanistan’s deadliest in two decades, and officials said the toll could rise. An estimated 1,500 others were reported injured, the state-run news agency told AP.
The quake was centered in Paktika province, about 31 miles southwest of the city of Khost, according to neighboring Pakistan’s Meteorological Department. Experts put its depth at just 6 miles. Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage.
At least 2,000 homes have been destroyed, where on average every household has seven or eight people living in it, said Ramiz Alakbarov, the U.N. deputy special representative to Afghanistan.
Taliban government deputy spokesman Bilal Karimi took to social media to urge “all agencies to send teams to the area immediately to prevent further catastrophe,” the AP reported. Meanwhile, Ramiz Alakbarov, the United Nations’ resident coordinator in Afghanistan, tweeted that the agency is “assessing the needs and responding” in the quake’s aftermath.
“Our condolences to the families of (the) deceased, response is on its way,” he wrote.
Afghanistan earthquake In this photo released by a state-run news agency Bakhtar, Afghans evacuate wounded in an earthquake in the province of Paktika, eastern Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (AP)
Afghanistan earthquake In this photo released by a state-run news agency Bakhtar, Afghans look at destruction caused by an earthquake in the province of Paktika, eastern Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (AP)
Afghanistan earthquake Afghan boys site near their damaged house that was destroyed in an earthquake in the Spera District of the southwestern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. A powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing at least 1,000 people and injuring 1,500 more in one of the country's deadliest quakes in decades, the state-run news agency reported. (AP)
Afghanistan earthquake In this photo released by a state-run news agency Bakhtar, Afghans look at destruction caused by an earthquake in the province of Paktika, eastern Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (AP)
Afghanistan earthquake An Afghan man holds a child inside a hospital that was injured in an earthquake in Gayan district, Paktika province on June 22, 2022. (ABDULLAH HASRAT/AFP via Getty Images)
Afghanistan earthquake An Afghan villager collects his belongings from under the rubble of his home that was destroyed in an earthquake in the Spera District of the southwestern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. A powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing at least 1,000 people and injuring 1,500 more in one of the country's deadliest quakes in decades, the state-run news agency reported. (AP)
Afghanistan earthquake Afghan villagers sit outside a tent after their house was damaged in an earthquake in the Spera District of the southwestern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. A powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing at least 1,000 people and injuring 1,500 more in one of the country's deadliest quakes in decades, the state-run news agency reported. (AP)
Afghanistan earthquake An Afghan villager collects his belongings from under the rubble of his home that was destroyed in an earthquake in the Spera District of the southwestern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. A powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing at least 1,000 people and injuring 1,500 more in one of the country's deadliest quakes in decades, the state-run news agency reported. (AP)
Afghanistan earthquake An Afghan villager collects his belongings from under the rubble of his home that was destroyed in an earthquake in the Spera District of the southwestern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. A powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing at least 1,000 people and injuring 1,500 more in one of the country's deadliest quakes in decades, the state-run news agency reported. (AP)
Afghanistan earthquake An Afghan villager sits near his damaged house that was destroyed in an earthquake in the Spera District of the southwestern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. A powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing at least 1,000 people and injuring 1,500 more in one of the country's deadliest quakes in decades, the state-run news agency reported. (AP)
Afghanistan earthquake KHOST, AFGHANISTAN - JUNE 22: A view of a damaged building after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook Afghanistan at noon and killed at least 29 people, and injured 62 others in the Spera district of Khost province near Paktika province, Afghanistan on June 22, 2022.. The district chief, Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi, said the quake had destroyed about 500 houses in different parts of the district, adding that they were trying to assist the affected families in Khost. (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Afghanistan earthquake Afghan people queue up in a line to donate blood for the earthquake victims being treated at a hospital in the city of Sharan after getting injured in an earthquake in Gayan district, Paktika province on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Ahmad SAHEL ARMAN / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images) (AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Afghanistan earthquake KHOST, AFGHANISTAN - JUNE 22: An elder reacts to the devastation after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook Afghanistan at noon and killed at least 29 people, and injured 62 others in the Spera district of Khost province near Paktika province, Afghanistan on June 22, 2022.. The district chief, Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi, said the quake had destroyed about 500 houses in different parts of the district, adding that they were trying to assist the affected families in Khost. (Photo by Sardar Shafaq/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Afghanistan earthquake An Afghan girl stands near a house that was damaged by an earthquake in the Spera District of the southwestern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. A powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing at least 1,000 people and injuring 1,500 more in one of the country's deadliest quakes in decades, the state-run news agency reported. (AP Photo) (AP)
Afghanistan earthquake TOPSHOT - Damaged houses are pictured following an earthquake in Gayan district, Paktika province on June 22, 2022. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images) (-/AFP via Getty Images)
Afghanistan earthquake Afghan children stand near a house that was destroyed in an earthquake in the Spera District of the southwestern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. A powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing at least 1,000 people and injuring 1,500 more in one of the country's deadliest quakes in decades, the state-run news agency reported. (AP Photo) (AP)
Afghanistan earthquake TOPSHOT - An Afghan child is treated inside a hospital in the city of Sharan after getting injured in an earthquake in Gayan district, Paktika province on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Ahmad SAHEL ARMAN / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images) (AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Afghanistan earthquake KHOST, AFGHANISTAN - JUNE 22: A view of debris after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook Afghanistan at noon and killed at least 29 people, and injured 62 others in the Spera district of Khost province near Paktika province, Afghanistan on June 22, 2022.. The district chief, Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi, said the quake had destroyed about 500 houses in different parts of the district, adding that they were trying to assist the affected families in Khost. (Photo by Sardar Shafaq/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Afghanistan earthquake Afghan villagers collects belongings from under the rubble of a home that was destroyed in an earthquake in the Spera District of the southwestern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. A powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing at least 1,000 people and injuring 1,500 more in one of the country's deadliest quakes in decades, the state-run news agency reported. (AP Photo) (AP)