Rescue operations slowed by blocked roads and landslides
A magnitude-6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing more than 800 people and injuring roughly 2,500, according to Taliban officials. Relief teams are struggling to reach remote mountain communities due to landslides and damaged roads.
The quake’s epicenter was near the Pakistan border, with Kunar province suffering the worst destruction. Its shallow depth increased the severity of damage, and aftershocks continued into Monday, shaking areas as far away as Kabul, over 100 miles from the epicenter.
Hospitals overwhelmed with casualties
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid warned that the death toll is likely to rise, as many people remain trapped under rubble. Hospitals in Asadabad and surrounding districts are inundated with injured residents.
Among those affected is Rasheed Khan, a trader from Kabul whose family lived in Watpur village. He reported losing his wife, three children, and two brothers. “I do not know how many relatives are still buried under the debris,” he said.
Relief efforts face serious obstacles
Afghanistan’s defence ministry dispatched doctors and emergency supplies to Kunar, but some villages can only be reached by air due to blocked roads and landslides. Taliban officials have called on humanitarian organizations for urgent support, including medical teams, clean water, food, tents, and rescue equipment.
The country’s healthcare system, already weakened since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, is struggling to respond. Jeremy Smith of the Red Cross said the combination of remoteness and continuing aftershocks makes rescue work especially dangerous.
Villages flattened, many still missing
Mud and stone homes were destroyed across Kunar. In Masood village, nearly every household suffered fatalities, with rescuers estimating up to 250 deaths. Neighboring provinces Laghman and Nuristan have also reported casualties, though full assessments are ongoing.
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 hands to rescue those trapped,” he said.
International aid begins
China has pledged disaster relief, while India has delivered food and tents to affected areas. The United Nations is preparing emergency assistance, and Pope Leo expressed condolences for those who lost loved ones.
The earthquake comes amid Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, with economic collapse, returning 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 population requires assistance.
Afghanistan lies along active fault lines in the Hindu Kush mountains, making it highly vulnerable 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.
