Kabul, Sept 1: A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on Monday, killing at least 500 people and injuring more than 1,000, officials confirmed. The tremors, which originated near Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, flattened homes and left scores of residents trapped under rubble.
Rescue teams rushed to the affected districts but were hampered by blocked roads and difficult terrain. Health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said the casualty figures are expected to rise as operations continue. “The number of casualties and injuries is high, but since the area is difficult to access, our teams are still on site,” he said.
The quake hit early in the day, followed by an aftershock measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale at a depth of around 140 kilometers. Dozens of villages reported widespread destruction, with some losing nearly entire populations. Early reports suggested at least 30 deaths in one village alone.
Mild tremors were felt across the border in parts of India, including Delhi, though no damage was reported there.
The earthquake is being described as the deadliest to hit Afghanistan since 2023, when a series of quakes in the same region killed nearly 4,000 people. The Hindu Kush mountains, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge, are among the world’s most seismically active zones, making Afghanistan particularly vulnerable to deadly earthquakes.
Survivors recounted chaotic scenes as homes collapsed within seconds, forcing families to run for safety. Authorities said emergency shelters and medical camps are being set up, though reaching remote villages remains a challenge.
The Taliban government has appealed for international aid to bolster rescue and relief efforts. With hundreds still missing and thousands displaced, officials warned the death toll could climb further in the coming days.(KNS).
