At least 1,000 dead and injured in Afghanistan earthquake

At least 1,000 people were killed and injured in a series of earthquakes that hit the northwestern part of Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said.

Afghanistan Disaster Management Authority's spokesman Mullah Janan Saiq said the death toll could further rise, adding that the tremors caused heavy damage in northwestern Herat and Badghis provinces.

"Three villages in Herat province were completely destroyed, hundreds of people are still trapped under the debris," Saiq told Anadolu over the phone.

He added that it was difficult to find the exact number of casualties, but so far the figure of 1,000 was reported by local officials.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), strong earthquakes of magnitude 5.5, 5.9, and 6.2 jolted the Afghan provinces. It said the epicenter was 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) northwest of Herat city.

The World Health Organization's Afghanistan office said its teams were in hospitals assisting treatment of wounded and assessing additional needs.

Afghanistan earthquake death toll rises to 2,000: Taliban officials

The death toll from powerful earthquakes in western Afghanistan has crossed 2,000, a senior Taliban leader said, adding the number might rise further in one of the deadliest quakes to hit the country in two decades.

Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban spokesperson based in Qatar, told Al Jazeera that many people were missing and rescue operations were under way to save people trapped under the rubble in the wake of a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in Herat province.

Shaheen said there was an urgent need for tents, medical and food items in the areas hit by the disaster, as he appealed to local businessmen and NGOs to come forward to help people in need.

On Sunday, people attempted to dig out the dead and injured with their hands in Herat, clambering over rocks and debris. Survivors and victims were trapped under buildings that had crumbled to the ground, their faces grey with dust.

One video, shared online, shows people freeing a baby girl from a collapsed building after being buried up to her neck in debris. A hand is seen cradling the baby's torso as rescuers ease the child out of the ground. Rescuers said it was the baby's mother. It is not clear if the mother survived.

"Besides the 2,060 dead, 1,240 people are injured and 1,320 houses are completely destroyed," said Abdul Wahid Rayan, spokesperson at the Ministry of Information and Culture.

About six villages have been destroyed and hundreds of civilians have been buried under the debris, he said, calling for urgent help.

The magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit 40km (24 miles) northwest of the city of Herat at about 11am on Saturday (06:30 GMT), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Strong aftershocks were felt in the neighbouring Badghis and Farah provinces.

A rescue volunteer, who did not want to be named, from Zenda Jan - the worst affected district located in Herat - said the search and rescue teams were not properly trained and lacked modern equipment.

"Unfortunately we have lost a lot of people in west of Herat in Zenda Jan and Ghorian districts," he said.

"The tragedy is very huge, we cannot define it to you in simple words. People are still trapped in the debris, they are alive, but we cannot reach them."

He urged the UN and other international organisations to provide Afghans with trained search and rescue teams, with modern equipment and rescue dogs to help find those still trapped inside.

At least 14 people have been killed and 102 are still missing in the north-east Indian state of Sikkim after heavy rain caused a glacial lake to burst its banks, triggering flash floods down a mountain valley.

The disaster, which took place on Wednesday, has affected more than 22,000 people, according to the authorities, and 22 army personnel are among the missing. It has also left over 3,000 tourists stranded after the floods washed away the main highways and bridges.

The catastrophic overflow of Lhonak Lake took place after five times the usual amount of rain fell on the state during a cloudburst, causing a dam to partially collapse in the Teesta valley, close to the border with China. Video footage showed the muddy flood waters surging into built-up areas, causing houses to collapse and submerging army bases.

"The search operations are being undertaken under conditions of incessant rains, fast-flowing water in Teesta River, roads and bridges washed away at many places," a defence spokesperson said on the X social media platform, formerly known as Twitter.

Authorities warned the rescue operation would be challenging as more rain was forecast in coming days and mobile and phone lines continued to be down.

Sikkim flash floods: Death toll rises to 56, over 100 still missing

The disaster management authorities have confirmed 26 deaths in Sikkim so far. Four bodies were recovered from Mangan district, six from Gangtok, and 16, including seven Indian Army personnel, from Pakyong district.

According to the West Bengal government, they have recovered 30 bodies from three districts: Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar in the basin of the Teesta River.

The flash flood, which was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday, led to severe destruction in Sikkim. It has affected over 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses and washed away 13 bridges, roads and other structures.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence stated that military equipment including ammunition were washed away in the flooding.

"Due to severe floods in Sikkim certain military equipment including firearms and explosives were carried away in Teesta river.Urgent notice for public has already been issued by Jalpaiguri District Authorities. Army has established lookout teams all along the river downstream," the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

As many as 2,413 people have been rescued from different areas and 6,875 people are taking shelter in 22 relief camps set up across the state.

At least 77 people are confirmed dead in the floods that hit India's northeast, authorities said Sunday, with destroyed roads and bridges leaving thousands more still cut off despite waters receding.

Violent torrents struck Sikkim state on Wednesday after a high-altitude glacial lake suddenly burst.

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