A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar Province late on Sunday.
According to Afghanistan’s Information Ministry, a devastating 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, resulting in at least 800 fatalities and more than 2,800 injuries, with officials cautioning that the death toll is expected to climb.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that the tremor occurred around midnight local time (GMT+4:30), with its epicenter situated near Jalalabad in Afghanistan’s Kunar Province, approximately 120km east of Kabul. The initial seismic event was succeeded by a 4.5-magnitude aftershock and an additional 5.2-magnitude earthquake.
“Sadly, tonight’s earthquake has caused loss of life and property damage in some of our eastern provinces. Local officials and residents are currently engaged in rescue efforts for the affected people,” stated Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, on X, asserting that all available resources would be deployed to save lives.
Kunar, among the worst-affected provinces, has seen homes collapse and entire villages reportedly razed. “Children are under the rubble. The elderly are under the rubble. Young people are under the rubble,” a local resident conveyed to the media, appealing for assistance to extract those trapped.
The information ministry reported casualties spanning Nur Gal, Sawki, Watpur, Manogi, and Chapa Dara districts, emphasizing that initial figures remain tentative given the challenges in accessing remote mountainous areas.
Military helicopters and rescue teams are escalating their efforts to evacuate the injured and provide assistance. With mountain passes inaccessible and communication networks disrupted, officials cautioned that a complete assessment of the devastation’s extent could take several days.
Taliban officials have urged international aid organizations to promptly supply medical provisions, tents, and rescue gear. Iran has already extended an offer of humanitarian assistance.
This catastrophe occurs less than two years after a sequence of powerful tremors in Herat Province in October 2023 claimed over 2,400 lives, marking one of Afghanistan’s most lethal earthquakes in recent memory.