Powerful earthquake kills 800 in eastern Afghanistan, over 2,500 injured

A powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing at least 800 people and injuring more than 2,500, according to the Taliban government. Survivors spent the night digging through rubble with their bare hands, searching for family members trapped beneath collapsed homes.

The 6.0-magnitude quake hit around 11:47 p.m. and was centered 27 kilometers northeast of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, at a shallow depth of 8 kilometers — increasing its destructive impact. Several aftershocks followed.

The hardest-hit areas were in Kunar province, where entire villages were leveled. Footage from the scene showed chaotic rescue efforts, with injured victims being carried from the debris and airlifted to hospitals.

At a press briefing Monday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the rising toll and said most fatalities were in Kunar. He vowed that all available resources would be used for rescue operations.

Many of the buildings in the affected areas were poorly constructed, especially in rural villages where mud bricks and wood are commonly used. One resident of Nurgal district said his entire village had collapsed. “Children, the elderly, young people — all are under the rubble,” he said, pleading for urgent help.

In mountainous eastern Afghanistan, where communication is limited and roads are rough, rescue efforts have been complicated. Dozens of emergency flights have operated out of Nangarhar Airport to transport the wounded.

One survivor, Sadiqullah from Maza Dara, described being trapped under debris after saving three of his children. His wife and two sons died, and his father was injured. “It felt like the entire mountain was shaking,” he said from a hospital bed in Nangarhar.

Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said casualty figures may rise as reports continue to come in from remote areas. Medical teams from Kunar, Nangarhar, and Kabul have been deployed.

Jalalabad, near the epicenter and close to the Pakistan border, is a major trade hub with a large metropolitan population and significant agricultural activity. It remained on high alert following the quake.

The tremor was also felt in parts of Pakistan, including Islamabad, though no casualties were reported there. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed condolences and said his country was ready to assist.

The latest disaster comes less than two years after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan in October 2023, killing thousands. That quake was the deadliest in recent Afghan history, with the Taliban estimating 4,000 dead, while the UN put the toll closer to 1,500.