At Least 250 Dead, 500 Injured as Devastating Earthquake Strikes Eastern Afghanistan
A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake has rocked eastern Afghanistan, leaving at least 250 people dead and over 500 injured. Officials warn the toll could rise as rescue efforts continue amid widespread devastation.
Rescue Teams Rush to Hard-Hit Areas
The quake struck late Sunday night at 11.47pm local time (8.17pm UK time), with its epicentre near Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, close to the border, at a shallow depth of just 14km (8.7 miles), according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences.
Rescue operations are underway in the remote districts of Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, where entire villages have been flattened. Early reports from Afghanistan’s health ministry indicated 30 deaths in a single village, but numbers have risen as more bodies and survivors are pulled from the rubble.
“The number of casualties and injuries is high, but since the area is difficult to access, our teams are still on site. Accurate figures will take time,” said Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the health ministry.
Hospitals Overwhelmed, Aftershocks Continue
Local hospitals are struggling to cope with the influx of hundreds of seriously injured victims. Medical resources are stretched thin as teams battle to save lives.
Worse still, the region was hit by aftershocks shortly after the main tremor — a magnitude 4.5 quake followed by a 5.2 shock at depths of 10km. Residents fled their homes in panic, fearing more buildings would collapse.
Afghanistan’s Deadly Earthquake History
Afghanistan sits on several active fault lines and has suffered multiple devastating earthquakes in recent years. In October 2023, a 6.3-magnitude quake tore through the west, killing thousands and leaving many homeless. The Taliban government claimed 4,000 deaths, while the UN put the toll closer to 1,500.
Officials are already calling Sunday’s quake one of the worst disasters to hit eastern Afghanistan in years.
Global Aid on the Horizon
International aid agencies are closely watching the crisis unfold. With Afghanistan’s health system already fragile, there are growing fears it won’t be able to handle a disaster of this scale without urgent support.
