Afghanistan Faces Devastating Earthquake: Casualties and Challenges Unfold

Mon Sep 15 2025 16:13:40 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake has struck eastern Afghanistan, resulting in significant casualties and widespread destruction, while rescue efforts face severe challenges. Details are emerging slowly due to difficult terrain and ongoing aftershocks.

A 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan's eastern region, killing hundreds and causing widespread destruction. With rescue operations hampered by landslides and logistical issues, the true extent of the disaster remains uncertain. Previous earthquakes in the region have resulted in high casualty figures as access improves. Afghanistan's current humanitarian situation complicates recovery efforts, as many are in desperate need of aid amidst a backdrop of economic collapse.

A 6.0 magnitude earthquake has struck Afghanistan's mountainous eastern region, with authorities estimating that hundreds of lives have been lost. The quake occurred at 23:47 local time on a Sunday night, with its epicentre located 27 km from Jalalabad, the country's fifth-largest city, in Nangarhar province.

The earthquake was shallow at only 8 km deep, causing tremors felt as far away as the capital city of Kabul, and into neighboring Pakistan. Hundreds are feared dead, with the Taliban's interior ministry reporting initial casualty numbers, though a confirmed death toll remains unclear.

The earthquake was followed by numerous aftershocks, raising further concerns for those trapped in collapsed structures. Reports indicate substantial damage across parts of Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, but the mountainous terrain poses significant challenges for rescue and relief operations.

Initial assessments predict that over 600 individuals may have died, as many houses made from mud bricks and wood succumbed under the quake's force. The Taliban has started using helicopters to reach blocked areas affected by landslides that obstruct roadways.

Emerging splinters of information are hindered by difficult terrain and communication limitations, leading to fears that the death toll could climb steeply as more access is established. The situation is compounded by a history of underreported casualties due to accessibility to affected areas.

International aid has been requested; however, Afghanistan's economy has dramatically collapsed since the Taliban regained power, leaving around 23 million in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The main hospital in Jalalabad, already overwhelmed by the influx of deported Afghans from Pakistan, is struggling to cope with new disaster-related patients.

Furthermore, Afghanistan's infrastructure is compromised, leading to delays in aid delivery, and the challenge of coordinating a response under a recognized but not officially accepted Taliban government adds to the issues at hand. Previous earthquakes have demonstrated how earthquakes lead to landslides that can devastate entire communities, a recurring danger in this vulnerable region.