Death toll from strong earthquakes that shook western Afghanistan rises to 2,000

Taliban spokesman reports 2,000 dead in western Afghanistan after powerful magnitude-6.3 earthquake and strong aftershocks. U.N. estimates 320 dead, 100 killed, 500 injured, 465 houses destroyed, 135 damaged. WHO dispatches 12 ambulance cars to Zenda Jan to evacuate casualties.

Death toll from strong earthquakes that shook western Afghanistan rises to 2,000, says Taliban spokesman.

A powerful magnitude-6.3 earthquake followed by strong aftershocks killed dozens of people in western Afghanistan on Saturday, the country's national disaster authority said.

The United Nations gave a preliminary figure of 320 dead, but later said the figure was still being verified. Local authorities gave an estimate of 100 people killed and 500 injured, according to the same update from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The update also said 465 houses had been reported destroyed and a further 135 were damaged.

“Partners and local authorities anticipate the number of casualties to increase as search and rescue efforts continue amid reports that some people may be trapped under collapsed buildings,” the U.N. said.

Disaster authority spokesperson Mohammad Abdullah Jan said four villages in the Zenda Jan district in Herat province bore the brunt of the quake and aftershocks.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake's epicenter was about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Herat city. It was followed by three very strong aftershocks, measuring magnitude 6.3, 5.9 and 5.5, as well as lesser shocks.