September 2, 2025

A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border late Sunday night, killing more than 800 people and shaking remote mountainous villages to their core. The ground trembled under simple mud and stone homes, many built into steep valleys, causing massive destruction and deep fear. Ehsanullah Ehsan, head of the Kunar Provincial Disaster Management Authority, told AFP, "operations continued throughout the night" as rescuers and villagers worked with bare hands to clear fallen rubble and look for survivors. Many injured people remain trapped in distant villages and urgently need to be taken to hospitals, he said. “The dead, some children among them, were wrapped in white cloths by villagers. They prayed right there before burying them,” AFP reported, painting a picture of sorrow and community strength. The earthquake epicenter was about 27 kilometers from Jalalabad and occurred just 8 kilometers below the Earth's surface, according to the USGS. Shallow earthquakes like this one cause more damage, especially here, where most live in fragile mud-brick houses. The UN migration agency said some villages are still unreachable due to blocked roads, making rescue work even harder. Since the Taliban took control in 2021, Afghanistan’s chances to handle disasters have worsened because of huge cuts in foreign aid. The US, once the largest donor until early 2025, stopped most funding, leaving the country fragile. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN is working fast to assess and help, announcing an initial $5 million in support. Taliban officials report 800 deaths and 2,500 injured in Kunar province alone, with more casualties in Nangarhar and dozens injured in Laghman. Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed these numbers. “We had never experienced anything like this in our lives,” said Ijaz Ulhaq Yaad from Nurgal, describing fearful screams of women and children as the quake hit. Pope Leo XIV also expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life. Earthquakes aren't new to Afghanistan. The Hindu Kush area, where tectonic plates meet, often shakes violently. In October 2023, a 6.3 quake devastated Herat province, killing over 1,500 and wrecking 63,000 homes. In June 2022, a 5.9 quake in Paktika killed 1,000+ and left many homeless. With millions struggling under poverty and returnee refugees from Pakistan and Iran, this latest quake adds heartbreaking chapters to Afghanistan’s ongoing saga of hardship and survival.

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Tags: Afghanistan earthquake, Kunar province, Earthquake rescue, Humanitarian crisis, Usgs, Taliban,