Officials confirmed that the earthquake resulted in at least 1,500 deaths and 2,000 injuries.[5][2][3][4] It is the deadliest earthquake in Afghanistan in nearly 25 years.[19] Poor construction practices and building materials contributed to the high death toll.[19] A USGS seismologist said that the earthquake was destructive due to its shallow depth of focus and epicenter in a densely populated, landslide-risk area where buildings are not designed to withstand ground shaking.[6] In addition, weeks of heavy rains prior to the earthquake had weakened the structural integrity of homes.[20] The head of a charity organization said that the death toll was expected to rise as the earthquake affected a region far from medical facilities and occurred at night, when most people were sleeping in their homes.[21]