Relief hampered by landslides and destroyed roads
A magnitude-6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing at least 800 people and injuring around 2,500, according to Taliban officials. Rescue operations have been severely hampered by landslides and damaged roads, making many mountainous villages difficult to reach.
The quake’s epicenter was near the Pakistan border, with Kunar province hardest hit. The shallow tremor caused extensive destruction, and aftershocks continued into Monday, shaking areas as far as Kabul, over 100 miles away.
Hospitals overwhelmed by the injured
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the death toll is expected to rise as many people remain trapped beneath rubble. Hospitals in Asadabad and nearby districts are overwhelmed by a steady flow of casualties.
Among the victims is Rasheed Khan, a trader from Kabul whose family lived in Watpur village. “I lost my wife, three children, and two brothers,” he said. “I don’t know how many more of my relatives are still buried under the debris.”
Aid efforts face major obstacles
Afghanistan’s defence ministry has sent doctors and emergency supplies to Kunar, but many communities are accessible only by air due to destroyed roads and landslides. Taliban officials called for urgent assistance from humanitarian groups, including medical teams, tents, food, clean water, and rescue equipment.
The country’s healthcare system, already fragile since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, is struggling to respond. Jeremy Smith of the Red Cross described operations as extremely difficult, citing the remote location and continued aftershocks.
Villages left in ruins
Mud and stone homes in Kunar were flattened. In Masood village, nearly every household suffered fatalities, with up to 250 people feared dead. Neighboring Laghman and Nuristan provinces also reported casualties, though full assessments are still ongoing.
Muhammad Aziz from Nur Gul said ten of his relatives, including five children, were killed. “Homes have collapsed everywhere, and people are digging with their hands to rescue the buried,” he said.
International aid mobilized
China has pledged disaster relief, and India has delivered food and tents. The United Nations is preparing emergency assistance, while Pope Leo sent condolences to the victims’ families.
The quake comes amid a deep humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where economic hardship, refugee returns from Iran and Pakistan, and widespread hunger have left millions reliant on aid. The UN estimates that over half of the country’s 42 million people need assistance.
Afghanistan sits along active fault lines in the Hindu Kush mountains, making it prone to earthquakes. Last year, tremors in western Afghanistan killed more than 1,000 people, and a magnitude-6.3 quake in October 2023 claimed thousands of lives, marking one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters in recent years.
