Strong earthquake again rattles eastern Afghanistan

ANKARA (AA) - A strong earthquake rattled Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province on Monday, the second temblor in less than a month.

"So far, one person is injured and 16 houses are damaged," Mohammad Naseem Haqqani, a spokesman for the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), also known as the Disaster Management Ministry, told Anadolu Agency.

The powerful quake hit the Gayan district of Paktika again at 4 p.m. local time (1130GMT), Haqqani said, adding that the situation is unclear because the area is remote and rescue workers are assessing damage and casualties.

The earthquake inflicted significant financial and human losses, but the details are unknown, the local Bakhtar News Agency reported, citing eyewitnesses.

Health officials in the province said they are ready to treat those injured in the disaster.

On June 22, about 1,150 people were killed and 1,600 injured in a similar quake in the Gayan, Burmal, and Spera districts of the Paktika province.

Haqqani said today’s quake was strong, but he expects fewer casualties and damage as it struck during the day, as compared to the last quake, which happened around midnight.

* Written by Shafiq Ahmad