Viral Videos, Photos Capture Chilling Moments As Devastating Earthquake Destroys Villages In Afghanistan

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Heartbreaking visuals are emerging from Afghanistan after one of the country's deadliest earthquakes in recent years flattened villages and claimed more than 800 lives. At least 2,800 others have been injured, according to officials, as helicopters ferried the wounded to hospitals and rescuers scrambled through the rubble in search of survivors, Reuters reported.

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Several videos and photos shared online show collapsed homes, panicked residents, and rescue efforts unfolding in remote mountainous regions along the Pakistani border. The quake, measuring 6.0 in magnitude, struck around midnight at a depth of 10 km, leaving behind widespread devastation.

Entire Villages Razed

Officials said the quake destroyed three villages in Kunar province and left significant damage in several others. At least 610 people were killed in Kunar alone, while 12 deaths were reported from neighbouring Nangarhar. Authorities warned that the toll may rise as many remote areas remain cut off, news agency Reuters further reported.

Military rescue teams have been deployed, with the defence ministry confirming that 40 flights have already evacuated more than 420 people. Footage showed residents carrying the wounded to ambulances, often with the help of security personnel and medics.

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Afghanistan's Taliban administration, already grappling with shrinking aid and widespread poverty, is struggling to cope with the disaster. Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the health ministry in Kabul, appealed for urgent international support:“Lots of people have lost their lives and homes. We need help.”

This is the third major earthquake to hit Afghanistan since the Taliban took control in 2021. A 6.1-magnitude quake in 2022 killed 1,000 people, while another in western Herat last year left villages in ruins.

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International funding for Afghanistan has drastically reduced - from $3.8 billion in 2022 to just $767 million this year. Aid agencies warn that donor fatigue, coupled with global crises and restrictions on Afghan women, has made it harder to raise funds for relief efforts.

Global Response

So far, no foreign governments have extended direct help for rescue or relief operations. However, China has announced its readiness to provide assistance, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the UN mission in Afghanistan is preparing to support those affected.

Afghanistan sits on a major fault line where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, making it highly prone to deadly earthquakes. For many villages still living in makeshift shelters after past disasters, the latest tragedy has only deepened an ongoing humanitarian emergency.

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