Afghanistan earthquake 'could worsen country's refugee crisis'

The 6.0-magnitude earthquake which hit Afghanistan this weekend threatens to further destabilise the country and exacerbate its refugee crisis, aid workers have said.

More than 800 people were killed and at least a thousand injured after the earthquake struck the east of the country just before midnight local time on Sunday.

Entire villages have been wiped out by the quake, humanitarian workers said, with road damage cutting off many communities from emergency services.

The extensive building damage will force many to leave their homes, potentially exacerbating volatile population movement in recent years, experts said.

Afghanistan has experienced a surge in internal displacement since the Taliban seized control in August 2021, prompting 2.5 million people to flee the country.