Rescue operations in full swing as quake death toll hits 365

A Pakistani soldier at Peshawar air base carries an injured child who was airlifted on Tuesday from the town of Chitral after Monday's deadly earthquake. Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent condolences to his counterparts in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Officials said the death toll from the earthquake has topped 365. [Photo/IC]

ISLAMABAD/KABUL - Rescue and relief workers have increased emergency response efforts for the victims of a deadly earthquake in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, said the two countries' National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday.

"The latest information by ANDMA showed that 74 people were killed while 343 others were wounded by Monday's massive earthquake," Mohammad Hassan Sayas, deputy to Afghanistan's NDMA, told Xinhua by phone.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan confirmed 230 deaths and 1,629 injuries in northwestern Pakistan but local media reported the death toll has already crossed 270 with over 2,000 injured.

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake with a depth of 210 km hit the Hindu Kush mountain range along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border at about 2:09 pm (0909 GMT) on Monday, with strong tremors also felt in Pakistan and India.

The meteorological office said over 20 aftershocks followed the major shock in the same area.