Death toll from Afghanistan earthquakes rises to 2,000, Taliban says

A powerful magnitude-6.3 earthquake struck Herat, destroying six villages and leaving hundreds of civilians buried under debris

An aerial view of the outskirts of Herat (Rodrigo Abd/AP)

The death toll from strong earthquakes that shook western Afghanistan has risen to 2,000, a Taliban spokesman said.

The updated figure makes it one of the deadliest earthquakes to strike the country in two decades.