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Large swathe of region rattled by 5.9 earthquake, including Kabul 

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(Last Updated On: February 13, 2021)

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit parts of Central and South Asia on Friday, jolting countries from Tajikistan to Afghanistan and India. 

Strong tremors were also felt across Pakistan, which forced people to flee their houses and buildings in panic.

Badakhshan was especially affected by the quake as the epicenter was in Tajikistan, close to the border with Afghanistan. While tremors were extremely strong in the province, no reports of casualties or damage were received. 

The US Geological Survey put the quake’s magnitude at 5.9 and centered 35 km west of Murghob in Tajikistan.

The Tajikistan Emergency Situations Ministry said the epicenter was 420 km east of the Tajik capital Dushanbe near the border with China.

However, the seismic service of the country’s Academy of Sciences told Russia’s RIA Novosti that the quake’s intensity was measured at 6.1. The news agency said there were no casualties or damage, citing the Committee on Emergency Situations.

Monitoring agencies in the region meanwhile pegged the quake as being a bit more severe. India’s National Center for Seismology said its magnitude was 6.3, while the National Seismic Monitoring Centre in Pakistan measured it at 6.4.

But according to the US Geological Survey, the magnitude was 5.9 and the epicenter was at a depth of 90km.

Tremors were felt across Hindukush’s Himalayan Mountain range, government officials in Islamabad, Kabul, and New Delhi said.

In Pakistan, the tremor lasted for around 30 seconds, meaning its impact was strong, local media reported.

In Kabul, residents reported having felt the tremors in some parts for close to one minute but no damage was immediately reported in the Afghan capital. 

Regional governments in the north-west and in the central province of Punjab in Pakistan meanwhile put emergency services on high alert, anticipating damages to property and loss of life.

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IEA urges World Bank to resume work on 7,000 incomplete projects

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(Last Updated On: April 19, 2024)

Officials at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) say 7,000 incomplete projects of the World Bank are at risk of destruction in Afghanistan. They call on the World Bank to resume the work of these projects.

According to them, discussions have been held with the World Bank about these projects, but there has been no result yet.

“7,000 incomplete projects are being destroyed, and if the work is not started, these projects will be destroyed. We ask the World Bank to resume the work of these projects as soon as possible,” said Noorul Hadi Adel, the spokesperson of MRRD.

Meanwhile, members of the private sector also ask international institutions to resume their work in Afghanistan.

According to the officials of this sector, with the start of these projects, job opportunities will be provided for thousands of people in the country.

“These projects create employment for our people and the country will grow a lot,” said Mirwais Hajizadeh, a member of the private sector.

However, economic experts stated if the work of these projects does not start soon, they will be destroyed and the investments made in them will be wasted.

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Ten people killed by floods in Helmand

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(Last Updated On: April 19, 2024)

Ten people have been killed and six others injured by floods in Helmand province in the past week, local officials said on Friday.

According to officials, seven of those were members of the same family, and they were killed in Kajaki district last night.

“Most of the people moved from vulnerable areas to high lands and mountains, and thanks Allah the number of casualties is low,” Sher Mohammad Vahdat, the head of information of the Directorate of Information and Culture in Helmand, said adding rescue teams and security forces have been dispatched to help people.

It is said that the telecommunication system has also been disrupted due to the effect of floods in Kajaki district. Floods have also destroyed thousands of acres of agricultural land.

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UN envoy meets Indian foreign minister to discuss Afghanistan

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(Last Updated On: April 19, 2024)

Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi and discussed issues related to Afghanistan, it was announced on Thursday.

During the meeting, Otunbayeva thanked India for “its critical humanitarian support and longstanding friendship for the Afghan people” and discussed the importance of regional and international cooperation to address prevailing challenges in Afghanistan, UNAMA said on X.

Jaishankar also said on X that the sides exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan.

“Underlined that India has provided wheat, medicines, pesticides and school supplies. Appreciate the role of UN agencies as partners in these endeavors,” he said.

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