[[{"content_id":368727,"content_number":0,"portal_id":2,"lang_id":"en","content_title":"Afghan earthquake: Iran sends two aid shipments as death toll crosses 1,000","content_rtitr":"","content_short_title":null,"content_summary":"Following the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan on Wednesday, which has so far claimed more than 1,000 lives, Iran expressed condolences and pledged full support to the neighboring country.","content_summary_fill":1,"content_body":"Iranian embassy in Kabul, in a tweet, offered its condolences to the people of Afghanistan, saying it has dispatched two cargo planes carrying first aid supplies to the quake-hit country.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt said that relief and rescue teams of Iran&rsquo;s Red Crescent Society (IRCS) as well as medical and volunteer squads have been put on standby to be deployed to Afghanistan.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&ldquo;Search, rescue teams, emergency medical services, rescue workers, volunteers, and medical staff of the IRCS are fully prepared to be sent to Afghanistan if requested by the government,&rdquo; the embassy said.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEarlier on Wednesday, Iran&rsquo;s foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh issued a statement expressing condolences to the families of victims and praying for the full recovery of the wounded.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHe also announced Iran&rsquo;s full readiness to help survivors with relief and rescue efforts.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAli Bahadori-Jahromi, the spokesman for the Iranian government, also issued a statement saying Iran would stand by the people of Afghanistan in this hour of distress and provide the necessary aid.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe death toll has already surpassed 1,000, with at least 1,500 others injured. According to officials, the casualty toll is likely to mount as the search operation continues.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the city of Khost, near the Pakistani border, early on Wednesday.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe United States Geological Survey later said the magnitude was 5.9, which struck the region on the country&rsquo;s border with Pakistan, flattening homes and leaving people trapped under the debris.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe caretaker government in Kabul has called on the international community and global charities to help those affected by the massive quake.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTaliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said the government had convened an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss a response to the massive earthquake.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&ldquo;In addition to helping the people affected by the earthquake, all relevant organizations were tasked to send rescue teams,&rdquo; he said.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTaliban&rsquo;s deputy state minister for natural disaster management, Mawlavi Sharfuddin Muslim said that the death toll is expected to rise as the earthquake has also struck far away remote areas.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis is the deadliest earthquake to hit the landlocked country sitting in the lap of the Hindukush Mountains since 2002 when a magnitude-6.1 earthquake killed around 1,000 people in northern Afghanistan.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBefore that, in 1998, a magnitude-6.1 earthquake and following tremors in northeast Afghanistan resulted in the death of at least 4,500 people.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNeighbors express grief, condolences\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMany countries in the neighborhood of Afghanistan offered their condolences over the catastrophic calamity.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPakistan&rsquo;s President Arif Alvi said his country stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan in this hour of need.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&ldquo;I am saddened over the loss of precious lives by an earthquake in Afghanistan &amp; express my sympathies with the affected,&rdquo; Alvi wrote in a tweet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, said relevant authorities are &ldquo;working to support Afghanistan in this time of need.&rdquo;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIndia&rsquo;s foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi also expressed his sympathies to the victims and their families, as well as all those impacted by the tragic incident.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&ldquo;We share the grief of the people of Afghanistan and remain committed to providing assistance and support in this hour of need,&rdquo; Bagchi said via Twitter.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nChina also expressed sympathies with the bereaved families and the injured.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nChinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that China was &ldquo;ready to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in light of its need.&rdquo;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld Health Organization (WHO) director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a tweet said the world health body will &ldquo;continue supporting people in need across the country&rdquo;.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&ldquo;My thoughts and prayers are with people in #Afghanistan who have been affected by the earthquake this morning, especially those who lost loved ones,&rdquo;&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAfghanistan has been battling a worsening humanitarian crisis since the botched exit of US-led allied forces last August followed by a freeze on Afghanistan&#39;s national assets worth over 9 billion USD.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe earthquake threatens to further compound the misery of people in the crisis-stricken South Asian country.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;","content_html":"<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Iranian embassy in Kabul, in a tweet, offered its condolences to the people of Afghanistan, saying it has dispatched two cargo planes carrying first aid supplies to the quake-hit country.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">It said that relief and rescue teams of Iran&rsquo;s Red Crescent Society (IRCS) as well as medical and volunteer squads have been put on standby to be deployed to Afghanistan.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&ldquo;Search, rescue teams, emergency medical services, rescue workers, volunteers, and medical staff of the IRCS are fully prepared to be sent to Afghanistan if requested by the government,&rdquo; the embassy said.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Earlier on Wednesday, Iran&rsquo;s foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh issued a statement expressing condolences to the families of victims and praying for the full recovery of the wounded.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">He also announced Iran&rsquo;s full readiness to help survivors with relief and rescue efforts.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Ali Bahadori-Jahromi, the spokesman for the Iranian government, also issued a statement saying Iran would stand by the people of Afghanistan in this hour of distress and provide the necessary aid.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">The death toll has already surpassed 1,000, with at least 1,500 others injured. According to officials, the casualty toll is likely to mount as the search operation continues.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">The 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the city of Khost, near the Pakistani border, early on Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">The United States Geological Survey later said the magnitude was 5.9, which struck the region on the country&rsquo;s border with Pakistan, flattening homes and leaving people trapped under the debris.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">The caretaker government in Kabul has called on the international community and global charities to help those affected by the massive quake.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said the government had convened an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss a response to the massive earthquake.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&ldquo;In addition to helping the people affected by the earthquake, all relevant organizations were tasked to send rescue teams,&rdquo; he said.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Taliban&rsquo;s deputy state minister for natural disaster management, Mawlavi Sharfuddin Muslim said that the death toll is expected to rise as the earthquake has also struck far away remote areas.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">This is the deadliest earthquake to hit the landlocked country sitting in the lap of the Hindukush Mountains since 2002 when a magnitude-6.1 earthquake killed around 1,000 people in northern Afghanistan.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Before that, in 1998, a magnitude-6.1 earthquake and following tremors in northeast Afghanistan resulted in the death of at least 4,500 people.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Neighbors express grief, condolences<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Many countries in the neighborhood of Afghanistan offered their condolences over the catastrophic calamity.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Pakistan&rsquo;s President Arif Alvi said his country stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan in this hour of need.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&ldquo;I am saddened over the loss of precious lives by an earthquake in Afghanistan &amp; express my sympathies with the affected,&rdquo; Alvi wrote in a tweet.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, said relevant authorities are &ldquo;working to support Afghanistan in this time of need.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">India&rsquo;s foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi also expressed his sympathies to the victims and their families, as well as all those impacted by the tragic incident.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&ldquo;We share the grief of the people of Afghanistan and remain committed to providing assistance and support in this hour of need,&rdquo; Bagchi said via Twitter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">China also expressed sympathies with the bereaved families and the injured.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that China was &ldquo;ready to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in light of its need.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">World Health Organization (WHO) director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a tweet said the world health body will &ldquo;continue supporting people in need across the country&rdquo;.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&ldquo;My thoughts and prayers are with people in #Afghanistan who have been affected by the earthquake this morning, especially those who lost loved ones,&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Afghanistan has been battling a worsening humanitarian crisis since the botched exit of US-led allied forces last August followed by a freeze on Afghanistan&#39;s national assets worth over 9 billion USD.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">The earthquake threatens to further compound the misery of people in the crisis-stricken South Asian country.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>","content_source":"","content_url":"","content_date_start":"2022-06-23 09:15:26","content_date_event":"2022-06-23 09:15:26","content_date_event_start":null,"content_date_event_end":null,"content_show_title_slider":1,"content_date_last_edit":"2022-06-23 09:19:48","content_date_register":"2022-06-23 09:19:48","content_columns":0,"content_show_img":1,"content_show_details":0,"content_show_related_img":0,"content_show_slider":1,"content_comment":1,"content_score":0,"tag_id":0,"score_average":null,"score_count":null,"score_date_last":null,"uid":43,"eid":0,"attach_title":null,"attaches":[{"sizes":{"150":"file\/2\/attach\/197001\/attach.png","300":"file\/2\/attach\/197001\/attach.png","400":"file\/2\/attach\/197001\/attach.png","600":"file\/2\/attach\/197001\/attach.png","900":"file\/2\/attach\/197001\/attach.png","1200":"file\/2\/attach\/197001\/attach.png"}}]}]]