Afghanistan earthquake kills 622 and injures over 1,500

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.0 struck eastern Afghanistan, leaving at least 622 people dead and more than 1,500 injured. The quake, which hit at midnight, devastated the provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, destroying homes made of mud and stone and flattening entire villages. In Kunar alone, more than 600 people were reported dead, while 12 fatalities were confirmed in Nangarhar. The tremors were shallow, striking at a depth of just 10 kilometers, which made the destruction even more severe.

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The Afghan interior ministry confirmed that search-and-rescue teams, along with military units, were mobilised to reach survivors in remote hamlets. Helicopters carried the wounded to hospitals, while rescuers combed through rubble in hopes of pulling more people out alive. According to health authorities, three villages were completely razed in Kunar, while many more suffered heavy damage. The Afghan defence ministry said that 40 flights had already carried 420 injured and deceased individuals.

The quake is the deadliest to hit Afghanistan since June 2022, when a 6.1-magnitude earthquake killed 1,000 people. With many people still trapped under collapsed homes, officials fear the death toll could rise further as rescue operations continue in difficult terrain.

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The earthquake comes at a time when Afghanistan is already facing severe humanitarian and economic crises. The country, governed by the Taliban since 2021, has struggled with a sharp decline in international aid and mass deportations of Afghan citizens from neighboring countries. The disaster has placed additional pressure on an already overstretched system. The Afghan interior ministry stated that all emergency resources had been deployed, from food and health aid to security operations, in an effort to provide swift support.

In Kabul, health authorities highlighted the urgency of reaching isolated villages in mountainous terrain that are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters like floods and earthquakes. Afghanistan’s location on the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates makes it one of the most quake-prone countries in the region, with repeated disasters over the years. A series of earthquakes in the west of the country last year killed more than 1,000 people, highlighting the fragile infrastructure and limited resources available for disaster management.

As of now, no foreign governments have formally reached out to provide support for rescue or relief operations, further compounding fears about how the country will cope. The Taliban have urged international partners to step in with emergency assistance.