Rescue efforts slowed by damaged roads and landslides
A magnitude-6 earthquake has struck eastern Afghanistan, leaving more than 800 people dead and approximately 2,500 injured, Taliban authorities reported. Emergency teams are struggling to reach remote mountain villages, with landslides and blocked roads hindering relief operations.
The quake hit near the Pakistan border late Sunday, with Kunar province experiencing the heaviest destruction. Its shallow depth worsened the impact, while aftershocks continued into Monday, shaking areas as far away as Kabul, over 100 miles from the epicenter.
Hospitals overwhelmed as casualties rise
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the death toll continues to climb as many victims remain trapped under collapsed homes. Hospitals in Asadabad and surrounding districts are inundated with injured residents, many arriving in rapid succession.
Rasheed Khan, a trader from Kabul whose family lived in Watpur village, reported losing his wife, three children, and two brothers. “I do not know how many relatives are still buried under the rubble,” he said.
Relief efforts face major challenges
The defence ministry has dispatched doctors and medical supplies to Kunar, but destroyed roads and landslides mean some areas can only be accessed by air. Taliban officials have called on aid organizations for tents, food, water, field hospitals, and rescue equipment to support the response.
Afghanistan’s healthcare system, already fragile since the Taliban takeover in 2021, is ill-equipped to handle a disaster of this magnitude. Jeremy Smith of the Red Cross said the quake’s remote location and ongoing aftershocks make rescue work particularly hazardous.
Villages flattened, many still missing
Mud and stone homes were destroyed across Kunar. In Masood village, nearly every household suffered casualties, with up to 250 deaths feared. Neighboring Laghman and Nuristan provinces also reported injuries, although full damage assessments remain incomplete.
Muhammad Aziz, a laborer from Nur Gul, said ten of his relatives, including his five children, perished. “Every home has collapsed, and people are digging with their hands to find survivors,” he said.
International support begins to arrive
China has pledged disaster relief, and India has sent tents and food to affected communities. The United Nations is preparing emergency aid, while Pope Leo expressed condolences for those who lost their lives.
The earthquake strikes amid a deep humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where economic collapse, mass returns of refugees from Iran and Pakistan, and widespread hunger have left millions dependent on aid. The UN estimates over half of the country’s 42 million people need humanitarian assistance.
Afghanistan lies along active faults in the Hindu Kush mountains, making it vulnerable to earthquakes. Last year, tremors in the west killed more than 1,000 people, and in October 2023, a magnitude-6.3 quake killed thousands, one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent Afghan history.
