Afghanistan Earthquake Kills Over 800 as Taliban Appeals for Global Aid

The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday has climbed to more than 800, with thousands injured, according to Taliban officials. The disaster has triggered a humanitarian crisis, with the government urgently appealing for international aid.

Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that around 800 people were killed and 2,500 injured in Kunar province alone, making it the worst-hit region. He added that the toll of 12 dead and 255 injured in Nangarhar province remained unchanged.

Families Devastated

In Kunar’s Nur Gul district, the devastation has been described as catastrophic. Muhammad Aziz, a laborer who lost 10 relatives in the quake, including his five children, said:

“There is death in every home, and beneath the rubble of each roof, there are dead bodies. The mud houses have been wiped away, and destruction is everywhere. People are desperately seeking help.”

Earthquake Details

The magnitude 6 earthquake struck shortly after midnight, with the epicenter about 27 kilometers from Jalalabad, Afghanistan’s fifth-largest city, and 140 kilometers from Kabul. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), more than 1.2 million people likely felt strong or very strong shaking. At least five aftershocks were recorded through the night, compounding the destruction.

The shallow depth of the quake worsened its impact, triggering landslides and flash floods in the rugged, mountainous region.

Humanitarian Crisis

The Taliban government has called on the international community to provide immediate assistance, as Afghanistan struggles with limited disaster response capacity. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, foreign aid has been significantly reduced, leaving the already fragile economy unable to cope with natural disasters.

The UN Development Programme estimates that about 85% of Afghanistan’s population lives on less than one dollar a day, highlighting the extreme vulnerability of its people.

International organizations are now assessing the scale of the disaster, as rescue operations continue in remote villages where survivors remain trapped under rubble.

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