At least 255 people were killed and over 500 injured after an earthquake struck the eastern Afghan region early on Wednesday, the state-run Bakhtar News Agency reported.

The casualties occurred in four districts of Paktika province, the most-hit eastern province, according to the report, citing the latest local sources.

The quake, with a magnitude of 6.1, jolted 44 km southwest of Khost, Afghanistan, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake has damaged dozens of houses in the region and also caused land sliding in Paktika, local sources said.