Hundreds Dead, Thousands Hurt After 6.0 Earthquake Strikes Afghanistan
A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, leaving widespread devastation and a climbing death toll. Taliban officials said at least 500 people had been killed and more than 2,000 injured, though the Interior Ministry later warned fatalities could exceed 600 as rescue teams reach remote villages.
The quake struck just before midnight, about 27 kilometers from Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, at a shallow depth of eight kilometers. Its force was felt as far as Kabul and Islamabad, shaking buildings more than 200 kilometers from the epicenter. The tremors also affected Kunar and Laghman provinces, where landslides blocked narrow mountain roads and cut off access to affected communities.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on social media that the disaster had caused “loss of life and property damage in some of our eastern provinces.” He added that local officials and residents had begun rescue efforts while support teams from Kabul and nearby provinces were on their way. Sharafat Zaman of the Public Health Ministry confirmed that “it will take time to get the exact information about human losses and damage to the infrastructure.”
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The US Geological Survey reported at least five aftershocks ranging from 4.5 to 5.2 in magnitude throughout Monday. Afghan officials warned these tremors could continue for days, complicating rescue operations.
Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes due to its position on major fault lines. Shallow quakes have historically caused catastrophic destruction in the country, including one in 2022 that killed about 1,000 people and another in 2023 that claimed 1,500 lives in Herat province.
Taliban authorities have appealed for international assistance as Afghanistan, already strained by drought and mass refugee returns, faces yet another humanitarian emergency.
