Survivors of a powerful earthquake that killed more than 800 people and injured thousands in eastern Afghanistan have been forced to spend nights in the open, as rescue efforts remain hampered by blocked roads, damaged infrastructure, and aftershocks.
The 6.0-magnitude quake struck late Sunday near Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, with the worst devastation reported in neighbouring Kunar. Entire villages were flattened, homes built from mud and clay crumbled instantly, and hospitals were overwhelmed by casualties. Officials warn the death toll is likely to rise as rescuers reach more remote areas.
“Entire villages are flattened, roads to deep mountainous areas are still closed. For us, the priority is not finding the dead, but reaching the injured,” a Taliban official in Kunar said. Helicopters were deployed on Monday to reach isolated communities.
Survivors described a night of terror. “There was a very strong earthquake, accompanied by sounds that were very scary. We didn’t sleep until morning,” said Faridullah Fazli, who joined volunteers transporting the dead and wounded. Others reported whole families buried under rubble, with villagers digging through debris by hand.
The quake, which struck just 8km below the surface, was felt as far away as Kabul and across the border in Pakistan. Shallow tremors are especially destructive, and this region is prone to frequent quakes due to its location along fault lines.
Hospitals in Jalalabad and surrounding provinces are struggling to cope. One doctor reported 460 victims admitted in a single day, while chaotic scenes unfolded as desperate relatives searched for loved ones. The Red Cross warned of shortages of tents, saying many survivors were too frightened to return indoors due to aftershocks.
International support has begun to arrive, with China, India, the UK, and Switzerland pledging aid. The UK’s emergency funding will be channelled through the Red Cross and UN agencies to provide medical care and supplies.
The disaster comes as Afghanistan faces overlapping crises: drought, hunger, and a sharp reduction in foreign aid following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Sanctions and suspended international funding have left the country heavily reliant on humanitarian relief.
Afghanistan is no stranger to deadly earthquakes. In 2023, a series of quakes in Herat killed over 1,000 people, while another in Paktika province the year before left around 2,000 dead.
For survivors in Kunar and Nangarhar, however, the current priority is survival. “Some people are still trapped under the rocks,” said rescuer Syed Raheem. “We saved many, but many more may still be waiting.”
