A destructive earthquake shocked eastern Afghanistan claiming over 120 lives. The earthquake, which according to local officials, shook western Afghanistan in the early hours of April 17 while the majority of the people were fast asleep.

Earlier claims put the death to 12 which gradually rose and it’s believed the number may still rise. According to the police of the quake-stricken area search and rescue teams have been sent to look for the survivors under rubbles. The houses which are made of mud and most have their bases close to the ground make them more vulnerable to such sorts of incidents.

A large number of those injured in the disaster have been hospitalized in the city’s public hospital while the President has ordered Aids Organizations to provide food and rehabilitation to the survivors.

The magnitude of the earthquake according to USGS was recorded 5.5 on Richter Scale and its epicenter was in the mountainous areas 85 km from the southwestern Kabul and 140 km east of Peshawar, Pakistan. According to the seismic report, the earthquake shook the ground at 1:50 am of local time and another shock with greater intensity of 0.5 followed two hours later.