A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan around midnight on Sunday killing at least 800 people with thousands more injured. The worst of the destruction was seen in Kunar province, which borders Pakistan, accounting for over 600 dead alone.
The earthquake’s epicenter was about 27 kilometres (17 miles) from Jalalabad at a shallow depth of eight kilometres below the Earth’s surface, according to the USGS.
The region’s rough mountainous terrain coupled with heavy rain in the last 24-48 hours have hindered rescue operations leaving the ruling Taliban government desperate for help.
Sharafat Zaman Amar, Taliban health ministry spokesman, in a televised plea, called for urgent international aid so that the residents of the affected areas can be protected from further tragedies. Furthermore, the Taliban urged humanitarian organizations to assist in preventing the spread of communicable diseases in affected areas.
The earthquake has been especially devastating since the majority of Afghans live in low-rise, mud-brick homes vulnerable to collapse from relatively shallow quakes. Furthermore, many living in the quake-hit villages were among the more than 4 million Afghans deported by neighbouring countries such as Iran and Pakistan in recent years.
The calamity is sure to stretch the Taliban administration’s already scarce resources.
Remember, the Taliban took over in 2021 after foreign forces withdrew, triggering a massive cut to the international funding that formed the bulk of government finances. Crises elsewhere in the world, along with donor frustration over the Taliban’s policies towards women are said to be the major reasons for foreign aid drying up, according to diplomats and aid officials.
Afghanistan is a country frequently hit by earthquakes, with Sunday’s quake the nation’s third major earthquake since 2021.
In October 2023, western Herat province was devastated by a 6.3-magnitude earthquake, which killed more than 1,500 people and damaged or destroyed more than 63,000 homes. Earlier in June 2022, a 5.9-magnitude quake struck the eastern province of Paktika killing more than 1,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres in a statement said they are working with authorities to “swiftly assess needs, provide emergency assistance and stand ready to mobilise additional support”. Further adding that an initial $5 million had been released from the UN’s global emergency response fund.
