A 6.0-magnitude earthquake shook eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 600 people. The number of victims is expected to rise as information arrives from remote mountain villages.
According to official reports, the quake struck the provinces of Kunar and Nangahar around midnight local time on Monday (19:30 GMT, Sunday). Significant damage was reported in several districts of the mountainous regions.
“In the districts of Nurgal, Sawkay, Watapur, Dara Pech, and Chapi Dara, approximately 600 people died. Around 2,000 were injured, and hundreds of homes were destroyed,” stated Ihsanullah Ihsan, director of Information and Culture in Kunar, one of the affected provinces.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) located the epicenter of the 6.0-magnitude quake 27 kilometers east of Nangarhar province at a depth of eight kilometers, which typically amplifies destructive power.
Following the news, rescue teams have struggled to reach some of the most remote communities. Their progress has been hindered by landslides, reported the Taliban-run state news agency Bakhtar (BNA).
“The number of casualties and injuries is high, but given the difficult access to the area, our teams remain on-site,” stated Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, in a statement.
Nearly half a million people likely felt shaking ranging from strong to very strong, which can cause considerable damage to poorly constructed structures, according to the USGS.
The last similar event occurred in October 2023, when over 2,000 people died after a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan, one of the deadliest quakes to hit the country in recent years.
Afghanistan is prone to deadly earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
Image: Opinion
