A powerful 6.0 magnitude Afghanistan earthquake killed 812 people and injured 2,800, with rescuers struggling to reach remote villages.
KABUL: The Afghanistan earthquake death toll has risen sharply to 812, with at least 2,800 injured, after a powerful 6.0 magnitude tremor struck eastern provinces late on Monday. The disaster, among the deadliest in recent years, has devastated communities across Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.
According to government officials, the quake struck around midnight at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. The worst-hit was Kunar Province, where three villages were razed to the ground and hundreds of homes built with fragile mud bricks collapsed. At least 610 people lost their lives there, while 12 deaths were reported in neighbouring Nangarhar.
Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s health ministry, appealed for international support. “We need it because here lots of people lost their lives and houses,” he said, highlighting the urgent need for aid, medicines, and relief supplies.
Rescue efforts are being hampered by rugged mountainous terrain, poor infrastructure, and severe weather conditions. Many of the affected villages, located near the border with Pakistan, remain cut off from mobile networks, complicating coordination and response.
Zabihullah Mujahid, government spokesperson, confirmed that hundreds of families have been displaced, with emergency shelters and field hospitals now being set up. International organisations are monitoring the crisis and are expected to mobilise assistance in the coming days.
The Afghanistan earthquake death toll underscores the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters, particularly in regions where weak housing structures and limited resources leave communities exposed. Officials warn that casualty numbers may rise further as rescuers reach isolated settlements.
