More than 600 people have been confirmed dead and over 1,500 injured following a powerful earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan, making it one of the country’s deadliest in recent memory.

Authorities said on Monday that helicopters were being used to evacuate the wounded, many of whom had been pulled from beneath collapsed buildings, as rescue teams continued to search for survivors.

The magnitude 6.0 quake hit the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, according to the Taliban-led interior ministry. 

The disaster has caused widespread devastation, destroying numerous homes and overwhelming already strained emergency resources in a country grappling with multiple humanitarian crises — including dwindling international aid and the forced return of Afghan citizens from neighbouring states.

“All our teams have been mobilised to accelerate assistance, so that comprehensive and full support can be provided,” said interior ministry spokesperson Abdul Maten Qanee, noting coordinated efforts ranging from security and food distribution to healthcare.

In Kabul, health officials said rescue operations were focused on reaching isolated mountain villages scattered across a region with a long history of deadly quakes and seasonal floods.

The earthquake is the most lethal in Afghanistan since June 2022, when a 6.1 magnitude tremor claimed at least 1,000 lives.

Source: Agencies 

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