Over 250 Killed as Strong Earhquake Strikes Eastern Afghanistan

News Desk

Islamabad:  A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing at least 250 people and injuring hundreds more, authorities confirmed. Rescuers are still searching the rubble of collapsed homes for survivors.

According to the US Geological Survey, the quake hit at 11:47pm in Kunar province, near the Pakistan border, with its epicenter located 27 kilometers northeast of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province at a shallow depth of just 8 kilometers. A second tremor, measuring 4.5, followed about 20 minutes later.

“The number of casualties and injuries is high, but our teams are still working in hard-to-reach areas,” health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said.

Kunar’s disaster management authority reported at least 250 deaths and 500 injuries across the districts of Nur Gul, Soki, Watpur, Manogi, and Chapadare. In neighboring Nangarhar province, nine more fatalities were confirmed. Hundreds of the wounded were rushed to hospitals, though officials warned the toll could rise further as reports come in from remote areas.

Jalalabad, a major trade hub of nearly 300,000 residents near the Pakistan border, was also affected. Much of its surrounding region consists of poorly built mud and brick houses, which crumbled under the force of the quake.

Afghanistan, located in a seismically active zone where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, is highly prone to devastating earthquakes. In October 2023, a series of quakes in the west of the country killed thousands, with estimates ranging from 1,500 to more than 4,000 deaths.

Rescue operations are underway in the mountainous border districts, where homes built of stone and mud were flattened. Authorities and aid agencies fear the toll may increase as access to isolated villages remains difficult.