A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has killed over 1,400 and injured more than 3,000.
Jalalabad
The death toll from Afghanistan’s devastating earthquake has crossed 1,400, with over 3,000 people injured, Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed on Tuesday. The quake struck on Sunday night, flattening villages across several provinces and leaving thousands trapped under rubble.
Rescue teams are struggling to reach remote mountainous regions, where homes made of mud and wood crumbled instantly. “We are in a race against time,” warned Indrika Ratwatte, the UN’s resident coordinator, adding that casualty numbers could rise exponentially.
Afghanistan, already reeling from economic collapse, aid cuts, and forced migrant returns, now faces yet another humanitarian crisis. The Taliban, recognised only by Russia, has appealed for international assistance. However, global response has been muted, with donor fatigue, competing crises, and opposition to Taliban restrictions on women limiting support.
Kate Carey, deputy head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, highlighted that more than 420 health facilities across Afghanistan are shut due to reduced funding, with 80 in the quake-hit eastern region. The few that remain are overwhelmed, lacking supplies and staff to provide critical trauma care.
Survivors described scenes of destruction, with entire families buried under collapsed roofs. Aid workers warn that with limited medical access and delayed relief, the number of deaths could rise further.
This is Afghanistan’s third major earthquake since the Taliban seized power in 2021, underscoring the fragility of a nation battling compounded crises.
