Jalalabad, Sep 1, KNT: A strong earthquake late Sunday night struck eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border, leaving at least 250 people dead and more than 500 others injured, officials confirmed on Monday.
The quake measuring 6.0 in magnitude hit at 11:47 p.m. and was centered about 27 kilometers east-northeast of Jalalabad city in Nangarhar province at a shallow depth of just 8 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Its shallow depth intensified the impact, causing widespread devastation across villages in Kunar province.
The Kunar Disaster Management Authority said that the districts of Nur Gul, Soki, Watpur, Manogi and Chapadare bore the brunt of the tremor. Entire villages have been flattened, leaving rescue teams struggling to reach remote communities.
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“Rescue operations are still underway there, and several villages have been completely destroyed. The figures for martyrs and injured are changing. Medical teams from Kunar, Nangarhar and the capital Kabul have arrived in the area,” said Sharafat Zaman, spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Public Health.
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He cautioned that many affected areas remain cut off, and casualty figures are expected to rise as reports continue to arrive.
The bustling city of Jalalabad, a key trade hub with Pakistan, also felt the tremors. While much of its core is built with concrete and brick, many surrounding settlements rely on mud-brick and wooden homes, which are especially vulnerable to seismic shocks.
The region is no stranger to deadly quakes. On October 7, 2023, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan’s Herat province, killing thousands. The Taliban administration had then put the toll at over 4,000, while the United Nations estimated around 1,500 deaths, making it one of the worst disasters in the country’s recent history.
Authorities in Afghanistan have appealed for international humanitarian support as emergency teams continue to pull survivors from the rubble. [KNT]
