Monitoring Desk:
Kabul: A powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday night, killing more than 600 people and leaving over 1,500 others injured, officials confirmed on Monday.
The 6.0-magnitude quake, which shook Kunar and Nangarhar provinces near midnight, caused widespread devastation. Kunar was the hardest hit, with at least 610 fatalities and 1,300 injured, according to the Ministry of Interior. In Nangarhar, 12 deaths and 255 injuries were reported. Hundreds of homes built with mud and weak concrete collapsed, leaving thousands without shelter.
Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani has directed local authorities and security forces to immediately reach the affected districts and speed up rescue and relief operations. Emergency teams are struggling to recover survivors from under the debris, while hospitals in both provinces are overwhelmed with the injured.
Afghanistan lies on multiple seismic fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, making it one of the most earthquake-prone countries in Asia. Experts say the shallow depth of the tremor—less than eight kilometers—intensified the destruction.
The country has faced similar tragedies in the past. In June 2022, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan killed at least 1,000 people and injured over 3,000, marking the deadliest quake in two decades.
As rescue operations continue, humanitarian agencies are warning of further hardship for survivors who now face homelessness, lack of medical care, and the urgent need for food and clean water.
