A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday night, leaving a trail of destruction across the rugged, mountainous provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar.
According to Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, the quake has claimed at least 812 lives, with over 2,817 people injured, and entire villages reduced to rubble.
The epicentre, located 27 kilometres east-northeast of Jalalabad, Nangarhar's capital, was at a shallow depth of 8 kilometers, amplifying the destruction caused by the tremors.
The earthquake, one of the deadliest in Afghanistan in recent years, hit a region already grappling with poverty, conflict, and a fragile infrastructure.
Kunar province, known for its steep, inaccessible terrain, bore the brunt of the disaster, with reports of entire villages, including Mazar Dara in the Nurgal district, being completely destroyed.
The Afghan Red Crescent reported that at least 825 people have died and 3,113 were injured, with over 1,000 homes lost.
These figures are preliminary, and officials warn that the death toll may rise as rescue operations continue in remote areas hampered by landslides and flooding.
Rescue efforts are underway but face significant challenges due to the region's geography and damaged infrastructure.
Landslides triggered by the quake and recent heavy rains have blocked roads, forcing rescuers to rely on helicopters to evacuate the injured from isolated villages.
In Mazar Dara, one resident described the devastation, stating, "Up to 95% of our village is destroyed. Children, the elderly, and young people are under the rubble."
The Taliban's defense ministry has deployed 30 doctors and truckloads of medical supplies to Kunar, while ambulances shuttle between affected areas and hospitals in Jalalabad, which remain operational despite minor damage to health centers in three Kunar districts.
The international community has begun to respond, though aid efforts are complicated by Afghanistan's political isolation since the Taliban's return to power in 2021.
India, Pakistan, Japan, and the European Union have pledged support, with India's External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar expressing "deep concern" and solidarity.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered "all possible support," while Japan's ambassador to Afghanistan, Takayoshi Kuromiya, said Japan is monitoring the situation and ready to assist.
The United Nations, led by Secretary-General António Guterres, has mobilized teams to deliver emergency assistance, but limited telecommunications and remote terrain are slowing assessments.
Afghanistan's vulnerability to earthquakes stems from its location at the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, making it one of the most seismically active regions in the world. The shallow depth of this quake, combined with poor construction quality, many rural homes are made of mud bricks and wood, exacerbated the damage.
A local journalist, Ali Latifi, highlighted the challenges of reaching affected areas, noting that many villages are in "undeveloped" regions with unpaved roads and homes not built to withstand seismic activity.
The disaster adds to Afghanistan's ongoing humanitarian crisis, described by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi as a "perfect storm" of challenges.
The country faces a severe drought, economic collapse, and the forced return of nearly 2 million Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan, which has strained resources.
The Taliban's restrictive policies, particularly on women's rights, have led to significant cuts in foreign aid, further hampering the country's ability to respond to crises.
Oxfam's chief executive, Halima Begum, told Sky News that the lack of women's rights complicates emergency relief efforts, as cultural norms in conservative areas like Kunar may delay treatment for women and girls.
This earthquake follows a series of deadly seismic events in Afghanistan. In October 2023, a 6.3-magnitude quake in Herat province killed an estimated 1,500 to 4,000 people, according to varying reports from the UN and Taliban.
A 5.9-magnitude quake in June 2022 in Paktika and Khost provinces claimed over 1,000 lives. These recurring disasters highlight the country's ongoing struggle to recover from natural calamities amidst limited resources and international support.