A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan just before midnight on Sunday, claiming over 800 lives and injuring approximately 2,700, leaving many survivors to spend Monday night in the open while rescue teams worked tirelessly to pull victims from the rubble.
The quake, which flattened villages in Kunar province near the Pakistan border, proved especially deadly in Afghanistan, where many communities live in poorly constructed homes. Well-designed buildings typically withstand such tremors with minimal damage, but the country's vulnerable infrastructure exacerbated the disaster.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake's epicenter was located about 27 kilometers (17 miles) from Jalalabad and struck just eight kilometers below the Earth’s surface. The tremor was followed by up to five aftershocks, worsening the devastation.
In Kunar alone, around 800 people were killed and 2,500 injured, Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid reported. Nearby Nangarhar province saw 12 fatalities and 255 injuries, while 58 people were injured in Laghman province. Ehsanullah Ehsan, head of disaster management in eastern Kunar, warned that many more remain trapped under collapsed homes, and the death toll could rise.
Some of the hardest-hit villages remain inaccessible due to blocked roads, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirmed that the United Nations is coordinating with local authorities to assess needs and deliver emergency aid, releasing an initial $5 million from its global emergency response fund.
Rescue operations continued through the night, focusing on mud and stone homes built into steep valleys. International leaders have expressed their condolences. In a statement shared by the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV said he was “deeply saddened by the significant loss of life” caused by the quake.
Afghanistan, one of the world’s poorest nations, faces a protracted humanitarian crisis worsened by the return of the Taliban in 2021, which led to a dramatic reduction in foreign aid. The U.S., once the largest aid donor to Afghanistan, cut nearly all funding in early 2025, and the UN recently scaled back global humanitarian aid due to historic funding shortfalls.
The earthquake underscores the vulnerability of Afghanistan’s communities and the urgent need for international assistance to aid survivors and rebuild the affected areas.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)