SRINAGAR: More than 1,400 people have been confirmed dead following a powerful earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan late on Sunday night, according to Taliban officials, according to Aljazeera news
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on Tuesday that 1,411 people were killed and 3,124 others injured in Kunar province, the worst-affected area. He added on social media platform X that over 5,000 homes had been destroyed by the magnitude 6.0 quake.
The earthquake, which struck in the mountainous regions while residents were asleep, flattened entire villages and left many trapped beneath rubble. Rescue efforts have been severely hampered by rugged terrain and limited access to remote areas.
“We cannot afford to forget the people of Afghanistan who are facing multiple crises,” said Indrika Ratwatte, the United Nations’ resident coordinator in Afghanistan. “The resilience of the communities has been saturated.” He urged the international community to respond swiftly, warning that these are life and death decisions while we race against time to reach people.
This marks the third major earthquake to hit Afghanistan since the Taliban regained power in 2021. The country is already grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis, a collapsing economy, dwindling international aid, and the mass return of refugees from Iran and Pakistan.
