Rescue efforts slowed by blocked roads and landslides
A severe magnitude-6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, claiming over 800 lives and leaving approximately 2,500 injured, Taliban officials reported. Emergency teams are struggling to reach remote mountain villages as landslides and destroyed roads prevent access.
The quake’s epicenter was located near the Pakistan border, with Kunar province bearing the brunt of the destruction. Its shallow depth amplified the damage, and aftershocks continued into Monday, shaking communities as far as Kabul, more than 100 miles away.
Hospitals overwhelmed by casualties
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the death toll is expected to rise, with many residents still trapped under collapsed buildings. Hospitals in Asadabad and surrounding areas are overwhelmed by the influx of injured people.
Rasheed Khan, a trader from Kabul whose family lived in Watpur village, reported losing his wife, three children, and two brothers. “I have no idea how many relatives remain buried under the rubble,” he said.
Relief operations face significant challenges
Afghanistan’s defence ministry dispatched doctors and emergency supplies to Kunar, but many communities are accessible only by air due to blocked roads and landslides. Taliban officials urged humanitarian organizations to provide urgent assistance, including medical teams, food, clean water, tents, and rescue equipment.
Afghanistan’s healthcare system, already fragile since the Taliban regained power in 2021, is struggling to cope. Jeremy Smith of the Red Cross described rescue work as extremely difficult, citing both the remoteness of the area and continuing aftershocks.
Villages destroyed, hundreds still missing
Homes made of mud and stone were flattened across Kunar. In Masood village, nearly every household suffered casualties, with rescuers estimating up to 250 deaths. Neighboring Laghman and Nuristan provinces also reported injuries, though comprehensive assessments are still pending.
Muhammad Aziz, a laborer from Nur Gul district, said ten of his relatives, including five children, were killed. “Homes are destroyed everywhere, and people are digging by hand to reach those trapped,” he said.
International aid mobilized
China has pledged disaster relief, while India has sent food and tents to affected areas. The United Nations is preparing emergency support, and Pope Leo expressed condolences to families mourning the dead.
The earthquake compounds Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, with economic collapse, returning refugees from Pakistan and Iran, and widespread hunger leaving millions reliant on aid. The UN estimates over half of the country’s 42 million residents require assistance.
Afghanistan sits along active fault lines in the Hindu Kush mountains, making it highly prone to earthquakes. Last year, tremors in western Afghanistan killed over 1,000 people, and a magnitude-6.3 quake in October 2023 claimed thousands of lives, marking one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent Afghan history.
