A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake has left a trail of destruction in northern and eastern Afghanistan, with authorities and aid groups warning that the final death toll could be significantly higher than current estimates. The quake, which struck late Sunday night, has flattened thousands of homes and left a yet-to-be-determined number of people trapped under the rubble.
Initial figures from Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority put the confirmed death toll at 900, with over 3,000 injured. However, a more dire assessment from the Afghan Red Crescent Society has raised the death count to 1,124 and the number of injured to 3,251. Officials have noted that these figures are fluid as rescue operations continue. The vast majority of the casualties were reported in the mountainous Kunar province, where villages of simple mud and stone homes were unable to withstand the shock of the quake, which had a shallow epicenter of just eight kilometers.
Rescue Efforts Hampered by Terrain and Damage
Rescue operations have been underway since Monday, with teams working desperately to find survivors. According to Ehsanullah Ehsan, the provincial head of disaster management in Kunar, “operations continued throughout the night,” with villagers joining in to clear debris with their bare hands.
However, the rugged terrain and a series of landslides caused by the earthquake have severely hampered access to the most isolated areas. Aid agencies report that their teams are making long journeys on foot to reach remote mountain villages, while helicopters are being used to evacuate the injured to hospitals.
The disaster has prompted an international response, with several countries pledging assistance. The United Kingdom has committed £1 million in emergency funding, which will be channeled through humanitarian agencies. Meanwhile, India has already dispatched a significant amount of relief material, including 1,000 family tents and 15 tonnes of food supplies, with more aid on the way. Other nations, including China, have also offered support.