A magnitude 6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan just before midnight local time on Sunday, according to the United States Geological Survey. Several aftershocks followed. At least 800 people were killed and 2,500 were injured. The epicentre of the earthquake was at a depth of about 8km (5 miles), which seismologists consider shallow, making the ground shaking more intense and destructive, particularly for fragile homes and communities.