Blocked roads and landslides slow rescue operations
A magnitude-6 earthquake has struck eastern Afghanistan, leaving more than 800 people dead and approximately 2,500 injured, Taliban officials reported. Relief teams are struggling to reach isolated mountainous villages as landslides and collapsed roads block access.
The quake, centered near the Pakistan border, caused the most destruction in Kunar province. Its shallow depth intensified the damage, and aftershocks continued into Monday, reaching as far as Kabul, more than 100 miles away.
Hospitals overwhelmed by flood of casualties
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the death toll is expected to rise, with many people still trapped beneath debris. Hospitals in Asadabad and nearby districts are overwhelmed by the large number of injured patients.
Among the victims is Rasheed Khan, a trader from Kabul whose family lived in Watpur village, Kunar. He reported losing his wife, three children, and two brothers. “I do not know how many relatives remain buried under the rubble,” he said.
Relief efforts face significant challenges
The defence ministry dispatched doctors and emergency supplies to Kunar, but many communities are reachable only by air due to landslides and damaged roads. Taliban officials called for urgent assistance from humanitarian organizations, including medical aid, clean water, food, tents, and heavy equipment for clearing debris.
Afghanistan’s healthcare system, already fragile since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, is struggling to respond to the disaster. Jeremy Smith of the Red Cross said the region’s remoteness and ongoing aftershocks make rescue operations particularly dangerous.
Villages flattened, many still missing
Homes made of mud and stone were destroyed across Kunar. In Masood village, nearly every household suffered casualties, with rescuers estimating up to 250 fatalities. Neighboring provinces Laghman and Nuristan have also reported casualties, though full assessments are pending.
Muhammad Aziz, a laborer from Nur Gul district, said ten of his relatives, including five children, were killed. “Homes have collapsed everywhere, and people are digging with their bare hands to rescue those trapped,” he said.
International support begins to arrive
China has pledged disaster relief, and India has sent food and tents to affected areas. The United Nations is preparing emergency support, while Pope Leo expressed condolences for the victims.
The earthquake adds to Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, with economic collapse, mass returns of refugees from Pakistan and Iran, and widespread hunger leaving millions reliant on aid. The UN estimates more than half of the country’s 42 million people require humanitarian assistance.
Afghanistan lies along active fault lines in the Hindu Kush mountains, making it prone to powerful earthquakes. Last year, tremors in western Afghanistan killed over 1,000 people, and an October 2023 magnitude-6.3 quake claimed thousands of lives, marking one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent Afghan history.
