Dozens killed as earthquake hits western Afghanistan
Dozens killed, more than 700 homes damaged in the western Badghis province after 5.3-magnitude earthquake. At least 26 people have been killed after an earthquake hit western Afghanistan , an official said. The victims died when roofs of their houses collapsed on Monday in Qadis district in the western province of Badghis, spokesman for the province Baz Mohammad Sarwary told news agencies. Map of Qadis district in Afghanistan's western province of Badghis The shallow earthquake was magnitude 5.3, according to the US Geological Survey. “Five women and four children are among the 26 people killed in the earthquake,” said Sarwary, adding that four more people were injured. He said the first rescuers have arrived at some of the affected areas under heavy rain, but warned that the number of casualties could increase as Badghis, bordering Turkmenistan, is a mountainous province and one of Afghanistan’s most impoverished and underdeveloped regions. A second quake, at magnitude 4.9, struck...