Local residents in Khost and Paktika province said they had to transport their injured to neighboring provinces such as Ghazni and Kabul, due to a shortage of space at local hospitals.

The families of victims of Wednesday’s earthquake called on the humanitarian agencies to provide urgent assistance to the people of the province.

"There are a lot of casualties, a lot of people died and many more were wounded, and a lot of people are still being pulled out,” said Abdullah, another resident of Paktika.

“My house is completely destroyed, my mother, son and wife have been martyred, one of my brothers is injured and in Kabul," said Wadi Khan, a victim of the earthquake.

“I’m wounded--my brother, mother and one of my cousins died,” said Bakhtana, another injured person.

Meanwhile, the director of the Ghazni District Hospital, Ajab Khan Hamidi, said that the injured patients who were brought to the hospital are receiving life-saving treatment.

“After the first aid was provided, the patients needed general surgery and orthopedics and were referred to Ghazni District Hospital,” said Ajab Khan Hamidi, director of Ghazni District Hospital.

Officials of the Ministry of State for Natural Disaster Management said that so far more than 1,600 people were injured and the number is increasing.