A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on Monday, leaving more than 800 people dead and 2,800 injured, according to a government spokesperson. Rescue teams are struggling to reach remote villages and evacuate the wounded to safety.
Helicopters evacuated the wounded, while local residents joined soldiers and medics in carrying victims to ambulances.
In Kunar province, three villages were completely destroyed, and many others suffered substantial damage.
Early reports indicated 30 deaths in a single village, while provincial officials estimated 250 dead and 500 injured across the province, with figures expected to rise as assessments continue.
Health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said, "Figures from just a few clinics show over 400 injured and dozens of fatalities," emphasising that casualties are likely higher.
The quake struck at midnight at a depth of 10 km (6 miles), leveling homes made of mud and stone near the Pakistan border.
Afghanistan, located in the seismically active Hindu Kush range where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, has a long history of deadly earthquakes.
A series of quakes in western provinces last year killed more than 1,000 people, highlighting the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters.
A foreign office spokesperson noted, "So far, no foreign governments have reached out to provide support for rescue or relief work," leaving the Taliban administration to manage the crisis amids already stretched resources and ongoing humanitarian challenges.
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