A powerful earthquake has killed at least 812 people and injured nearly 2,839 in eastern Afghanistan, marking one of the deadliest natural disasters in the country’s recent history. The 6.0 magnitude quake struck late Sunday night, causing widespread devastation across Nangarhar and Kunar provinces near the border with Pakistan. The United States Geological Survey recorded the quake at 11:47 p.m. local time, with a shallow depth of approximately 10 kilometers and its epicenter near Jalalabad. The tremor leveled entire villages, flattened homes built of mud and timber, and cut off remote communities from immediate aid.
Government officials confirmed the rising toll, initially reported as 622, has grown to 812 confirmed deaths, with rescue operations ongoing. The number of injured has also increased significantly as emergency teams reach more affected areas. The Ministry of Interior Affairs, under Taliban administration, is coordinating with military, health, and disaster response teams across the impacted regions. Emergency crews conducted 40 air evacuations, transporting over 420 critically wounded and deceased individuals to hospitals. Many of the casualties are from rural districts in Kunar, where poor infrastructure and landslides have delayed rescue operations.
Medical teams have been deployed from Kabul, but the national health system is facing strain due to resource limitations and a surge in trauma cases. In Nangarhar Province, hospitals are operating beyond capacity. Makeshift medical camps have been set up, and humanitarian agencies are distributing essential supplies, including tents, water, food, and first-aid materials. Afghan authorities have called for urgent international assistance to support relief and recovery.
Afghan hospitals overwhelmed as injured flood medical centers
The terrain in eastern Afghanistan has significantly hampered aid delivery. Landslides triggered by the quake and heavy rains have blocked access routes to affected districts, isolating several villages. Communications infrastructure in the mountainous regions has also been disrupted, delaying accurate damage assessments. The disaster is the deadliest earthquake in Afghanistan since June 2022, when a 5.9 magnitude tremor killed over 1,000 people in Paktika and neighboring provinces. Afghanistan’s location at the junction of tectonic plates makes it highly susceptible to seismic activity.
Its vulnerable housing stock, predominantly non-engineered structures, contributes to high fatality rates during such events. Local authorities continue to conduct door-to-door searches for survivors. Rescuers report that many people remain trapped under debris, and the risk of aftershocks persists. In some areas, residents have been forced to sleep outdoors due to the destruction of homes and fear of structural collapse. The United Nations and other international aid agencies are assessing the situation to determine logistical options for reaching inaccessible areas.
The Afghan Red Crescent and other local organizations are actively providing ground-level assistance despite difficult conditions. As of Monday evening, the death toll stands at 812, with 2,839 injured across multiple provinces. Officials emphasize that these figures are expected to rise further as search, rescue, and medical teams continue reaching isolated and heavily impacted communities. The Afghan Geological Authority has urged residents in the affected regions to stay vigilant due to the heightened risk of aftershocks and potential structural collapses in already damaged areas. – By Content Syndication Services.