Afghanistan Earthquake Leaves Hundreds Dead and Villages Destroyed
A powerful earthquake has struck eastern Afghanistan, leaving behind devastation that is still being uncovered. According to the Taliban’s interior ministry, more than 600 people have been confirmed dead and at least 1,500 others have been injured. The quake, measured at a magnitude of 6.0, hit late Sunday night near the provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, close to the border with Pakistan. Because it struck at a shallow depth, the tremors were felt strongly across the region—from Kabul to Islamabad—causing buildings to shake and entire villages to collapse.
Rescue operations have been extremely challenging. Many of the hardest-hit areas are located deep in the mountains, where access is already limited in the best of times. Landslides triggered by the quake have blocked narrow roads, making it nearly impossible for ground teams to reach survivors. Helicopters are being used to evacuate the injured and transport them to hospitals, but resources are stretched thin. Local officials warn that the actual death toll could rise sharply as more communities are reached.
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The scenes on the ground have been described as chaotic and heartbreaking. Villagers have been digging through rubble with their bare hands to rescue trapped family members and neighbors. Entire homes made of mud and stone crumbled instantly, leaving residents buried inside. In Kunar province, locals reported that dozens of villages were completely destroyed, while in Nangarhar, hospitals are overflowing. Doctors have described an unrelenting stream of patients—sometimes arriving every few minutes—with many forced to lie on the floor due to the lack of beds.
Witnesses spoke of an atmosphere filled with fear and panic. One resident, jolted awake by the midnight tremor, recalled how terrifying it was to hear the rumbling sounds and feel the ground shake beneath him. Many people remained outdoors for hours after the quake, too frightened to return to their homes as aftershocks continued to hit.
This disaster has come as yet another blow to Afghanistan, a country already reeling from decades of war, economic hardship, and frequent natural disasters. Just last year, earthquakes in Herat killed more than 1,000 people, and in 2022, another quake in Paktika caused similar destruction. The fragile infrastructure and widespread poverty mean that communities are especially vulnerable when disasters strike.
Officials have appealed for international assistance, acknowledging that the scale of the crisis is beyond what local resources can handle. The Afghan Red Crescent has deployed emergency teams, while hospitals in Jalalabad and Kabul are bracing for more patients. Still, communication remains poor in remote villages, and it is feared that hundreds more may still be trapped under rubble.
As the search and rescue efforts continue, Afghanistan faces yet another grim reminder of how fragile life is in a region where hardship is constant, and where natural disasters only deepen the suffering of its people.
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