Witnesses tell of the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the 6.0-magnitude earthquake that occurred on the night of August 31 had its epicenter at a depth of about 10 km, about 23 km northeast of Jalalabad city, Afghanistan.

In the hard-hit provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, the earthquake trapped people under rubble when houses, mostly made of wood and mud in the area, collapsed while they slept.

The earthquake in Afghanistan has killed more than 1,400 people. Photo: CBS News.

According to NBC News , Sadiqullah, a resident in the area affected by the earthquake, was awakened by what sounded like a loud explosion and rushed to where his family members were sleeping.

He saved his three children but before he could save the rest of his family, the roof collapsed on him.

"My wife and two sons died, my father was injured and is in hospital with me. We were stuck for three to four hours until people from other areas came and took us out," Sadiqullah said.

The Taliban government spokesman said on September 2 that the death toll from the earthquake had risen to at least 1,411 people while 3,124 others were injured and 5,412 houses were destroyed.

"The extent of the devastation was devastating. Many villages were flattened and people are still trapped under the rubble. Roads are cut off, making it difficult to transport supplies or evacuate the injured," Dr. Abudl Majeed Ahmadzai, director of Kabul Asia Hospital, told CBS News .

>>> Readers are invited to watch more videos : Helicopters carrying injured people after the earthquake in Afghanistan