BBC reports that one of the deadliest earthquakes in years rocked eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing at least 1,000 people, injuring 1,500 more, and destroying hundreds of building structures.

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada told state-run Bakhtar News Agency the earthquake was magnitude 6.1 and struck 27 miles from the south-eastern city of Khost around 0130 local time.