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At least eight dead after earthquake hits Afghanistan and Pakistan
Officials said the 5.9-magnitude quake killed eight members of one family and injured a child as it shook parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
On Friday, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region, killing eight family members in a house collapse on Kabul's outskirts; the National Disaster Management Authority confirmed the deaths as tremors reached Pakistan and India.
Afghanistan's highly seismic landscape and reliance on mud-brick housing often complicate disaster response; rugged terrain hinders aid delivery, leaving communities vulnerable to structural failures during major mountain tremors.
Historic sites including Mazar-e-Sharif's Blue Mosque and the Bagh-e-Jahan Nama Palace in Khulm sustained damage; the German Research Centre for Geosciences confirmed the epicenter was 177 kilometers deep.
Health Ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman placed provincial health authorities on alert; the remote epicenter location may delay comprehensive damage assessments in affected mountainous areas.
Recurring deadly earthquakes underscore the region's seismic history, including a 6.3-magnitude quake in November that killed at least 27 people; ongoing vulnerability remains a significant challenge for disaster recovery.
Twelve people died as a result of an earthquake in several parts of Afghanistan on Friday night, the Government and the Afghan Red Crescent said on Saturday in a new assessment.