Afghanistan quake death toll rises to 900 as rescue teams scour mountainous region for survivors

JALALABAD, Afghanistan (AP) — The death toll from a strong earthquake in Afghanistan’s east rose to 900, with 3,000 people injured, an official said Tuesday as rescue teams scoured the area for survivors.

The 6.0 magnitude quake struck late Sunday night in a mountainous region, flattening villages and leaving people trapped under rubble for hours.

“The injured are being evacuated, so these figures may change significantly,” Yousaf Hammad, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, told The Associated Press. “The earthquake caused landslides in some areas, blocking roads, but they have been reopened, and the remaining roads will be reopened to allow access to areas that were difficult to reach.”