MOSCOW, September 5. /TASS/. The Russian emergencies ministry has sent the first batch of its humanitarian aid to earthquake-hit Afghanistan, the press service of the ministry told TASS.
"An Il-76 plane of the Russian emergencies ministry took off from the Zhukovsky airport, carrying humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan, affected by a devastating earthquake," the ministry said.
The plane carries 20 metric tons of food.
The ministry said it was the first delivery of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, with at least one more flight expected in the coming days.
The delivery is being carried out in accordance with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s orders and upon instructions from the Russian government.
On August 31, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded in the Hindu Kush mountains. It occurred 27 km southwest of the city of Asadabad in eastern Afghanistan. Powerful underground tremors destroyed entire villages and landslides blocked access roads to some settlements, disrupting communication lines. Rescue operations are being carried out under difficult conditions in hard-to-reach, mountainous terrain with the help of special airborne units. According to the latest data, the death toll from the earthquake has exceeded 2,200, with about 3,600 Afghans injured. On September 2, another 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck the Hindu Kush mountains.