A devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on Monday, resulting in a tragic loss of life and widespread destruction. The quake, which hit the Nangarhar province, has reportedly killed at least 610 people and injured over 1,300 others. Rescue teams are rushing to the remote, hard-hit areas to conduct relief operations as several villages have been completely razed and thousands of homes destroyed.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located 27 kilometers east-northeast of the city of Jalalabad. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the shallow nature of the quake, which struck at a depth of just eight kilometers, contributed to its deadly impact. Shallower earthquakes tend to cause more significant surface damage and destruction. The tremors began at 11:47 pm.
Scale of Devastation and Ongoing Rescue Efforts
According to Afghanistan’s interior ministry spokesman, Abdul Matin Qani, the majority of the casualties were in the Kunar province, where 610 people were killed and 1,300 were injured. Three entire villages in the province were leveled, and countless houses made of mud and stone have been destroyed. Unverified videos circulating online show the chaotic aftermath, with people carrying bodies, widespread devastation, and rescue teams scrambling to the scene.
Sharafat Zaman, a spokesman for the ministry of public health, stated that “rescue operations are still underway there, and several villages have been completely destroyed. The figures for martyrs and injured are changing.” He added that medical teams from Kunar, Nangarhar, and the capital Kabul have been dispatched to the affected areas to assist with the overwhelming number of casualties.
The USGS estimates that the quake affected an area with a population of approximately 271,900 people and has predicted at least one aftershock in the coming week. Rescuers are also searching for victims in villages located close to the border with Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Afghanistan’s History with Earthquakes
While the country’s foreign office spokesperson has stated that no foreign governments have yet offered assistance for the rescue and relief work, Afghanistan remains highly susceptible to deadly earthquakes. The country has a history of major seismic events. In February of the previous year, a magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck, and a magnitude 6.3 quake in October 2023 led to the deaths of at least 4,000 people. Last year, a total of over 1,000 people were killed in various earthquake-related incidents.