Earthquake in Afghanistan Claims Nearly 1,000 Lives

(MENAFN) A catastrophic earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday night has led to a rising death toll, now approaching 1,000, according to a health official on Tuesday.

Sharafat Zaman, a representative for the Health Ministry, stated during an interview with a local broadcaster that approximately 1,000 fatalities have been reported, with the majority of them occurring in Kunar province.

Zaman warned that the number of victims may increase further, as emergency teams persist in their efforts across isolated and mountainous regions where accessibility remains a significant hurdle.

An official from the provisional government informed a news agency that close to 3,000 individuals have sustained injuries. In addition to Kunar, the provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, and Panjshir have also been impacted by the powerful tremor.

This marks the third significant earthquake to strike the conflict-affected nation since the Afghan Taliban assumed control in August 2021.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 11:47 p.m. local time (1917GMT), with its epicenter situated 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) east-northeast of Jalalabad, at a shallow depth of 8 kilometers (5 miles).

The timing of the quake, when many residents were asleep, contributed to its devastating effect.

Kunar has borne the brunt of the disaster, with numerous villages being leveled by the force of the earthquake.

Abdul Ghani, a spokesperson for the interim Afghan government in Kunar, told the news agency that emergency response teams have already reached the disaster zones, and relief efforts have been underway since Monday.

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