Eastern Afghanistan Shattered: 800 Dead, Thousands Injured in Devastating Earthquake

By The Blogging Hounds Desperate Survivors Dig Through Rubble as Death Toll RisesA powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing at least 800 people and injuring more than 2,500, according to the Taliban government. Villages in Kunar province, near Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, were left in ruins, with survivors clawing through rubble…

By The Blogging Hounds

Desperate Survivors Dig Through Rubble as Death Toll Rises
A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing at least 800 people and injuring more than 2,500, according to the Taliban government. Villages in Kunar province, near Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, were left in ruins, with survivors clawing through rubble in a desperate search for loved ones. “Children are under the rubble. The elderly are under the rubble. Young people are under the rubble,” a villager said. “We need help here. There is no one who can remove the dead bodies from under the rubble.”

The quake, centered just 27 kilometers east-northeast of Jalalabad at a shallow depth of 8 kilometers, caused widespread structural collapse in the mountainous region. Homes in rural areas, often made of mud bricks and wood, were particularly vulnerable.

Aftershocks and Rescue Challenges
Multiple aftershocks followed the main quake, further complicating rescue efforts. Blocked roads forced aid workers to walk hours to reach the hardest-hit areas, while helicopters and emergency teams rushed casualties to hospitals. Sharafat Zaman, a health ministry spokesman, warned that the death toll is likely to rise: “There are villages where the injured and dead haven’t been recovered from the rubble, so the numbers may increase.”

One survivor recounted the horror: “I was half-buried and unable to get out. My wife and two sons are dead, and my father is injured and in hospital with me. We were trapped for three to four hours until people from other areas arrived and pulled me out.”

Humanitarian Crisis Worsens
Sunday’s quake comes amid an already dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, exacerbated by drought, displacement, and previous disasters. Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, urged international donors to step up: “This adds death and destruction to other challenges including drought and the forced return of millions of Afghans from neighbouring countries. Hopefully the donor community will not hesitate to support relief efforts.”

Emergency organizations, including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, emphasized urgent needs for search and rescue support, medical supplies, clean water, and food, as entire communities remain cut off.

International Response and Strain on Aid
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed condolences and pledged support, saying: “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. We are ready to extend all possible support in this regard.” However, global funding cuts have hampered ongoing humanitarian aid, raising fears that current relief efforts may be insufficient.

The recent quake follows a catastrophic magnitude 6.3 earthquake in October 2023, which killed thousands and left Afghanistan struggling to recover. Experts warn that the scale of humanitarian needs from this latest disaster may dwarf even last year’s catastrophe.

The Road Ahead
With roads blocked and many remote areas inaccessible, rescuers continue to work tirelessly to reach survivors. Medical teams and helicopters have reached some of the hardest-hit villages, but aid workers stress that the situation remains urgent. The coming days will be critical in saving lives and addressing the escalating humanitarian crisis in eastern Afghanistan.

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