Afghanistan Quake Deaths Climb to Staggering 1,000

(MENAFN) The death count from the powerful earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday has surged to nearly 1,000, according to a health official’s update on Tuesday.

Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, told local media, "1,000 people have been killed, mostly in Kunar province." He warned the toll may climb further as rescue teams continue to navigate remote, mountainous regions that remain difficult to reach.

Injuries are extensive, with nearly 3,000 people hurt, an official from the interim administration reported to media news agency. Aside from Kunar, the provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, and Panjshir also suffered damage.

This marks the third major earthquake to strike Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control in August 2021, compounding the challenges faced by the war-torn country.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) pinpointed the quake’s epicenter 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) east-northeast of Jalalabad at a shallow depth of 8 kilometers (5 miles). The tremor struck at 11:47 p.m. local time (1917 GMT) when most residents were asleep, intensifying the disaster’s impact.

Kunar province bore the brunt of the devastation, with multiple villages flattened. Abdul Ghani, the interim administration spokesperson for Kunar, told media that rescue and relief efforts commenced promptly Monday and remain ongoing.

"The death toll may rise as many people are still under the rubble," Ghani said, highlighting the grim reality on the ground.

He reported that dozens of homes were destroyed in the districts of Nur Gal, Sawki, Watpur, Manogi, and Chapa Dara.

The interim government has dispatched relief supplies and medical teams to the area since Monday, with additional aid en route from Kabul, Ghani confirmed.

International support is forthcoming, as neighboring Pakistan, Iran, China, India, and several Western countries have pledged humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

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