Afghanistan earthquake leaves 1,400 dead, thousands injured

A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake has killed at least 1,400 people in eastern Afghanistan, Taliban officials said Tuesday. Thousands more were injured, and entire villages were reduced to rubble.

Officials said landslides buried roads, and rescue workers struggled to reach survivors in mountain valleys.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit near Jalalabad, close to Pakistan, late Sunday at a depth of about five miles. That shallow depth made it especially destructive. Kunar province sustained the heaviest losses, with additional casualties reported in Nangarhar, Laghman, Nuristan and Panjshir.

How many people were affected?

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid reported 1,411 deaths, more than 3,100 injuries and 5,400 homes destroyed.

The U.N. estimated about 12,000 people were affected, warning that fatalities could climb as searches continue. Survivors described desperate scenes of digging through collapsed homes. One man in Kunar told the Associated Press he was buried up to his chest and survived, but his wife and children did not.

Rain, rockfalls, and washed-out roads left aid workers trekking on foot while helicopters ferried the wounded.

“The biggest challenge is to reach these remote areas with the road access extremely damaged,” said Indrika Ratwatte, the U.N.’s humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan.

Relief groups said the quake will strain aid networks already weakened by funding cuts since the Taliban takeover in 2021. Most countries do not recognize Taliban rule.

What aid has been pledged?

The Taliban appealed for international help. The U.K. announced $1.35 million in emergency assistance, India sent tents and food supplies, and China said it would provide help according to Afghanistan’s needs. The U.S. expressed condolences but has not announced assistance.

This is Afghanistan’s third major quake since 2022, when a 5.9-magnitude earthquake killed 1,000 people in the eastern part of the country. A series of tremors in 2023 killed around 4,000 people.

Aid groups warn that Afghanistan’s poverty, conflict and drought leave it especially exposed to natural disasters, with health services already overstretched.