At least 5 killed in aftershock in E. Afghan quake area

KABUL: At least five people were killed and 11 others wounded when an aftershock hit a district of the quake-hit eastern Afghan region on Friday, an official source said.

“Unfortunately, once again an earthquake hit Gayan district of Paktika province roughly at 10 a.m. local time Friday (0530 GMT) based on the initial information, five people were martyred and 11 others wounded,” the Afghan Ministry of Public Health said on Twitter.

On early Wednesday, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of Afghanistan including the capital city Kabul, more than 1,000 people have been confirmed dead and over 1,500 others were injured in Paktika and the neighboring Khost province.

The worst-hit area was Gayan district of Paktika where more than 1,600 homes were destroyed.

-Xinhua