Afghanistan's eartquake death toll exceeds 950

Afghanistan's eartquake death toll exceeds 950 - UPDATED-1

The death toll as a result of the 6.1-magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan's Paktika province exceeded 950, ONA reports.

Besides, 600 people were injured as a result of the natural disaster.

***10:58

An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 killed at least 280 people in Afghanistan early on Wednesday, officials said, adding that hundreds of people were injured and the toll was likely to rise as information trickled in from remote mountain villages, ONA reports citing Reuters.

The quake struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the city of Khost, near the Pakistani border, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGC) said.

"Strong and long jolts," a resident of the Afghan capital, Kabul, posted on the website of the European

*** 09:48

At least 255 people are feared dead and hundreds more wounded after a magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan Wednesday, according to state-run news agency Bakhtar, ONA reports citing CNN.

The earthquake hit at 1:24 a.m. about 46 kilometers (28.5 miles) southwest of the city of Khost, which lies close to the country's border with Pakistan, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The quake registered at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), according to USGS.

Casualties were reported in Barmal, Zirok, Nika and Giyan districts of Paktika province, with more than 500 injured, according to Bakhtar. CNN is unable to independently confirm Bakhtar's reporting.

The agency assigned the quake a yellow alert level, indicating some casualties are possible and that the impact should be relatively localized. Full casualty figures are not yet clear.