6.0 magnitude earthquake hits eastern Afghanistan, at least 600 killed

Taliban government officials have appealed to humanitarian organisations for assistance in rescue operations across remote mountainous regions, many of which can be reached only by air

More than 600 people were killed and 1,500 injured after a 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, in a mountainous region near the Pakistan border, the Taliban interior ministry said on Monday. The quake hit the Jalalabad area at around 11.47 PM local time.

 

Afghanistan earthquake: Where was the epicentre? 

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). Reports also described it as shallow, with a depth of 8 km. The epicentre was located 27 km from Jalalabad, Afghanistan’s fifth-largest city.

In October 2023, a powerful earthquake in the western province of Herat killed at least 2,400 people.

 

 

What is the extent of damage? 

At least 610 people were killed and 1,500 injured in several districts of the mountainous Kunar province in the northeast, according to the the Taliban interior ministry. “The number of casualties and injuries is high, but since the area is difficult to access, our teams are still on site,” health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said.

 However, the full death toll has been difficult to confirm so far due to the remoteness of the affected areas. 

 

A Taliban representative coordinating efforts to transport bodies by helicopter said that in one village, 21 people had died and 35 were injured. He added that aftershocks continue to be felt across many districts of the province. 

 

Mobile networks down, roads cut off 

Mobile networks are down in some parts, while landslides and flooding have cut off roads in others. Police in Kunar province told the BBC that, with roads blocked, rescue operations can only be carried out by air.

 

Aid, medics rush to provinces 

The Taliban government has appealed for urgent assistance from international aid agencies. Helicopters carrying medical teams have reached Kunar province to treat and evacuate the wounded. In Nangarhar, dozens of volunteers have gone to hospitals to donate blood.