Rescue operations slowed by blocked roads and landslides
A magnitude-6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing over 800 people and injuring roughly 2,500, according to Taliban officials. Relief teams are struggling to reach remote mountainous villages, with landslides and damaged roads obstructing access.
The tremor, which hit near the Pakistan border, caused the worst damage in Kunar province. Its shallow depth intensified destruction, while aftershocks continued into Monday, shaking areas as far away as Kabul, over 100 miles from the epicenter.
Hospitals overwhelmed by surge of casualties
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the death toll is expected to rise, with many victims still trapped beneath rubble. Hospitals in Asadabad and surrounding districts are inundated with injured patients.
Rasheed Khan, a trader from Kabul whose family lived in Watpur village, reported losing his wife, three children, and two brothers. “I don’t know how many relatives remain under the debris,” he said.
Relief efforts face serious challenges
Afghanistan’s defence ministry dispatched doctors and emergency supplies to Kunar, but many communities remain accessible only by air due to blocked roads and landslides. Taliban officials have called on humanitarian organizations for urgent support, including medical aid, clean water, food, tents, and equipment for rescue operations.
Afghanistan’s healthcare system, already fragile since the Taliban regained control in 2021, is struggling to respond. Jeremy Smith of the Red Cross said the combination of remoteness and ongoing aftershocks makes rescue work particularly hazardous.
Villages flattened, many still missing
Mud and stone homes were destroyed across Kunar. In Masood village, nearly every household suffered fatalities, with rescuers estimating as many as 250 deaths. Neighboring provinces Laghman and Nuristan 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 hands to find survivors,” he said.
International aid begins to arrive
China has pledged disaster relief, while India has delivered food and tents to affected areas. The United Nations is preparing emergency support, and Pope Leo expressed condolences for families who lost loved ones.
The earthquake strikes amid Afghanistan’s deepening 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 residents require 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 an October 2023 magnitude-6.3 quake claimed thousands of lives, ranking among the deadliest natural disasters in recent Afghan history.
