The death toll has risen to 1,500 after a magnitude-6.1 earthquake struck Afghanistan's Paktika Province early on Wednesday, with more than 2,000 others injured, Al Jazeera reported, citing Afghan officials.

Early reports said the powerful earthquake in eastern Afghanistan had killed at least 1,000 people and injured 1,500.

The Afghan government has yet to confirm the new figures but interior ministry official Salahuddin Ayubi warned previously that casualties are likely to rise.

The Taliban-run administration's chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Thursday that a massive relief effort is underway inside and outside the quake-hit areas.