The earth shook violently late Sunday night in eastern Afghanistan. A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck, leaving a trail of death and destruction. Early reports suggest more than 600 people lost their lives. Another 1,500 suffered injuries, many of them severe. These numbers are grim and sadly, expected to climb.
Officials from the Taliban’s Interior Ministry confirmed the rising toll. They stated that 622 people were dead and 1,500 were hurt as of their latest count. Rescue teams are still working tirelessly. They are digging through rubble in remote villages. Many areas have not yet reported their full losses. This means the final count could be much higher.
The quake hit at 11:47 PM local time on August 31st. Its center was just 27 kilometers northeast of Jalalabad. It was a very shallow quake, only 8 kilometers deep. Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage. This one certainly did. It flattened entire villages, especially in Kunar Province, near the Pakistani border.
Kunar Province has been hit particularly hard. Local officials there reported at least 250 deaths. Another 500 people were injured across several districts. These include Nur Gul, Soki, Wadpur, Manogi, and Chapadare. Public Health Ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said rescue efforts continue around the clock. He noted that some villages were completely wiped out. Medical teams from Kunar, Nangarhar, and Kabul rushed to the disaster zone.
Jalalabad, a bustling trade hub, sits close to the Pakistani border. About 300,000 people live there. Many homes in the city are low-rise structures made of brick and concrete. But in the surrounding countryside, houses are often built from mud brick and wood. These types of buildings offer little protection against a strong tremor. This explains why the damage was so extensive.
This disaster comes at a terrible time for Afghanistan. The nation already faces a severe humanitarian crisis. International aid has dropped significantly. Many people have been forced out of neighboring countries. This new tragedy adds immense pressure to an already struggling population.
Afghanistan is no stranger to earthquakes. It lies in a region where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. This area, particularly the Hindu Kush mountains, sees frequent seismic activity. Just last year, on October 7, 2023, a 6.3 magnitude quake struck, killing an estimated 4,000 people. This latest event is another painful reminder of the land’s volatile nature.
Source: FRANCE 24