Afghanistan earthquake death toll crosses 1,400, thousands injured

A devastating earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan this weekend has claimed the lives of more than 1,400 people and left thousands more injured, according to the Taliban government on Tuesday.

The earthquake, measuring 6.0 in magnitude, hit late Sunday night, causing widespread destruction in the remote, mountainous regions near the border with Pakistan. 

As the death toll continues to rise, Afghanistan faces the daunting task of managing the aftermath in one of the world’s poorest nations, struggling with limited resources and dwindling international aid.

According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban's chief spokesperson, the hardest-hit province of Kunar alone reported 1,411 deaths and 3,124 injuries. In neighboring Nangarhar province, the death toll stands at 12, with hundreds more reported injured.

United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan, Indrika Ratwatte, warned that the earthquake could affect "hundreds of thousands," further compounding the nation’s already critical humanitarian crisis.

The earthquake struck areas where many homes were already vulnerable. Kunar province saw more than 5,400 homes reduced to rubble. The remote location of many affected communities has made rescue operations extremely challenging.

Hamdullah Fitrat, a government spokesman, confirmed that many of the hardest-hit areas were still unreachable by road, but emergency facilities were being set up.

Villagers, often with few tools at hand, have been joining rescue efforts, digging through rubble to find survivors, and offering assistance with bare hands in a desperate attempt to save lives.

Villager Obaidullah Stoman, 26, shared his heartbreaking experience while searching for a friend in the village of Wadir. "I'm searching here, but I didn’t see him. It was very difficult for me to see the conditions here," Stoman said, his voice shaking. "There is only rubble left."

The international community has responded with offers of humanitarian aid. The European Union announced that it would send 130 tonnes of emergency supplies, along with one million euros in financial assistance to help the quake victims.

However, Afghanistan’s ongoing economic challenges—worsened by the Taliban's control of the country since 2021 and the U.S. aid cuts—have left the nation vulnerable. Experts have warned that the current resources are insufficient to meet the scale of need in the country.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies also expressed concern, highlighting that funding cuts have severely affected humanitarian air services, limiting access to remote communities that are hardest to reach.

Despite these challenges, rescue workers have been tirelessly searching for survivors amid the ruins of collapsed mud and stone homes. Many victims, including children, have been wrapped in white shrouds by villagers and prayed over before being laid to rest.

Afghanistan’s mountainous terrain, coupled with its limited infrastructure and the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, has left both residents and rescuers struggling to cope with the aftermath.

As the situation continues to unfold, authorities and aid agencies are working around the clock to reach survivors and provide much-needed relief, but the sheer scale of devastation presents an overwhelming challenge.

The international community has pledged support, but it remains to be seen whether sufficient resources can be mobilized to help the people of Afghanistan recover from one of the most devastating natural disasters in the region’s recent history.