KABUL, Sep 1: A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, on Saturday night, killing around 800 people and injuring over 2,500, according to figures released by the Taliban government.
The quake struck at 11:47 p.m., centered 27 kilometers east-northeast of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province and just 8 kilometers deep, making it particularly destructive.
Most casualties were reported in Kunar province, with extensive damage in areas like Nurgal district.
Desperate residents spent the night digging through rubble with their hands in search of loved ones.
Video footage showed chaotic rescue scenes, with the injured carried on stretchers and pulled from collapsed homes.
Many rural houses in the region, built with mud bricks and poorly constructed, were flattened.
One survivor from Nurgal, Sadiqullah, recounted being buried when his home collapsed while he was rescuing his children. Though he managed to save three of them, his wife and two sons died.
He and his injured father were later rescued after being trapped for hours.
The mountainous terrain, poor infrastructure, and remote location have hampered communication and rescue efforts.
Emergency teams from Kunar, Nangarhar, and Kabul have been deployed, with authorities warning that the death toll may rise as more information becomes available from affected areas.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid pledged that all available resources would be used for rescue and relief.
Survivors are pleading for urgent help as they try to retrieve bodies and save those trapped under debris.
This earthquake comes nearly a year after a 6.3 magnitude quake hit western Afghanistan in October 2023, killing between 1,500 (UN figure) and 4,000 (Taliban estimate), making it one of the deadliest disasters in recent Afghan history.
The city of Jalalabad, near the epicenter, is a major trade and agricultural hub, further highlighting the quake’s potential economic and humanitarian impact. (AP)
