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KABUL – A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, resulting in over 200 fatalities and numerous injuries, according to reports from state media.
Rescue operations are underway in several districts of the mountainous region bordering Pakistan. Concerns are rising that the death toll may increase as rescue teams struggle to reach remote communities due to landslides, as reported by the state news agency Talibán Bakhtar (BNA).
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that the earthquake’s epicenter was located approximately 27 km northeast of Jalalabad, in the province of Nangarhar, at a depth of 8 km. The earthquake occurred at 11:47 pm local time.
Local authorities reported on monday that the northeastern province of Kunar was particularly hard hit, with at least 250 deaths and over 500 injuries across multiple districts, according to BNA.
Sharafat Zaman, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health, stated that the number of casualties is considerable, but the difficult terrain is impeding rescue efforts.
The USGS estimates that nearly half a million people experienced strong to very strong tremors, perhaps causing significant damage to poorly constructed buildings.
Ahmad Zameer, a resident of Kabul, which is located over 160 kilometers from the epicenter, described the earthquake as strong, causing residents of apartment buildings to flee into the streets.
Zabihullah Mujahid acknowledged the human and economic losses caused by the earthquake in a post on X.
Mujahid added that local authorities and residents are actively involved in rescue efforts, with support teams en route from the capital and nearby provinces. He assured that all available resources would be utilized to assist the affected population.
The earthquake’s impact was also felt in several cities within the neighboring Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab,according to a statement from Pakistan’s weather department.
The USGS reported that the region experienced at least five aftershocks in the hours following the initial earthquake, with the strongest measuring magnitude 5.2.
The USGS Pager system issued an orange alert, indicating the potential for significant economic and human losses as an inevitable result of the earthquake.
The alert suggests a high likelihood of a substantial number of victims and a potentially widespread disaster,requiring a regional or national response.
In October 2023, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in western Afghanistan resulted in over 2,000 deaths, marking one of the deadliest earthquakes to strike the country in recent years.