At least 250 dead after 6.0 magnitude quake rocks Afghanistan

Local officials warned the death toll was likely to rise after the quake struck the province on Kunar in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border.

At least 250 people have been killed and hundreds more injured after a magnitude 6.0 earthquake rocked eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border overnight into Monday, local officials said. The quake struck at 11:47 pm local time on Sunday, around 27 kilometres northeast of the city of Jalalabad in the Nangarhar province, according to the US Geological Survey. Aftershocks continued into Monday morning.Hundreds more are feared dead as officials conduct a preliminary survey of the damage and assess the magnitude of the tragic incident.Jalalabad is a bustling trade city due to its proximity with neighbouring Pakistan and a key border crossing between the two countries.Although it has a population of about 300,000 according to the municipality, it's metropolitan area is thought to be far larger.Most of its buildings are low-rise constructions, mostly built of concrete and brick, and its outlying areas include homes built of mud bricks and wood. Many are of poor construction and are vulnerable to collapse in the event of quakes.Our journalists are working on this story and will update when more information becomes available.