At least 250 people were killed after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan near its border with Pakistan, according to reports. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stated the quake occurred 17 miles from Jalalabad at midnight local time (3:30 p.m. ET Sunday). Aftershocks ranging from 4.5 to 5.2 magnitude have continued throughout Monday, with experts warning they could persist for days and potentially cause further damage.

Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Afghan Public Health Ministry, noted that the remote mountainous location of the quake complicates efforts to assess casualties and infrastructure damage. “We have launched a massive rescue operation and mobilized hundreds of people to help those in affected areas,” he said. The earthquake’s shallow depth of 5 miles intensified its destruction despite its moderate magnitude.

Jalalabad, a key trade hub near the Pakistan border, is home to low-rise concrete and brick structures, as well as rural homes made of mud bricks and wood. The city’s agricultural economy, including citrus and rice farming, faces additional challenges amid the disaster. Afghanistan’s location atop multiple fault lines increases its vulnerability to seismic activity, compounded by risks of landslides in mountainous regions.

Earlier this year, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake in October 2023 killed at least 4,000 people, according to the Taliban government, though the U.N. estimated around 1,500 fatalities. Local authorities warned that death tolls from the current quake could rise as affected areas remain inaccessible.