Rescue operations hindered by landslides and broken roads
A strong magnitude-6 earthquake shook eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing over 800 people and injuring about 2,500, Taliban officials reported. Emergency teams face major challenges reaching remote mountain villages as landslides and damaged roads cut off access.
The epicenter was near the Pakistan border, with Kunar province experiencing the worst damage. Its shallow depth intensified the destruction, and aftershocks continued into Monday, affecting areas as far away as Kabul, over 100 miles from the epicenter.
Hospitals overwhelmed by injured
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the death toll is expected to rise, with many people still trapped under debris. Hospitals in Asadabad and nearby districts are struggling to handle the influx of injured patients.
Rasheed Khan, a trader from Kabul whose family lived in Watpur village, lost his wife, three children, and two brothers. “I do not know how many relatives remain buried under the rubble,” he said.
Relief efforts face major obstacles
The defence ministry dispatched doctors and emergency supplies to Kunar, but many communities remain reachable only by air due to blocked roads and landslides. Officials have urged humanitarian organizations to provide urgent support, including medical aid, clean water, food, tents, and rescue equipment.
Afghanistan’s healthcare system, already fragile since the Taliban regained power in 2021, is struggling to respond. Jeremy Smith of the Red Cross said the combination of the region’s remoteness and ongoing aftershocks makes rescue operations particularly hazardous.
Villages destroyed, many still missing
Homes built from mud and stone were flattened across Kunar. In Masood village, nearly every household suffered fatalities, with rescuers estimating up to 250 deaths. Neighboring provinces Laghman and Nuristan have also reported casualties, though complete assessments are ongoing.
Muhammad Aziz, a laborer from Nur Gul district, said ten of his relatives, including five children, were killed. “Every home has collapsed, and people are digging with their hands to rescue survivors,” he said.
International assistance mobilized
China has pledged disaster relief, while India has delivered food and tents to affected communities. The United Nations is preparing emergency aid, and Pope Leo expressed condolences to families who lost loved ones.
The earthquake comes amid Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, with economic collapse, returning refugees from Pakistan and Iran, and widespread hunger leaving millions reliant on aid. The UN estimates that over half of the country’s 42 million population requires 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 deadliest natural disasters in recent Afghan history.
