Afghanistan hit by deadly earthquake

Nine people have been reported dead thus far, according to CNN figures, in an earthquake that hit Afghanistan Wednesday, its epicenter 24 kilometers northwest of Jalalabad.

Dozens of people were injured and homes destroyed after the tremor struck at a depth of 39 miles, according to USGS figures.

Read more from GlobalPost: Pakistan: rescuers aid communities hit by 7.8 magnitude earthquake

AFP reports that six people died in Nangarhar province, of which Jalalabad is the capital, while 75 were injured — a sum that may change as more information about the natural disaster filters in.

"We are still in the process of getting information from the affected areas. Among the dead are some children," provincial spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai told AFP.

The powerful tremor was felt in Kabul, and even office buildings in New Delhi briefly swayed, according to the Voice of America. It comes only days after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit southeastern Iran, killing numerous people and rocking the Middle East.

The US Geological Survey has provided a map of the earthquake epicenter at this address.

Will you support The World? 

The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?