A powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on Monday, resulting in approximately 700 fatalities and around 1,000 injuries, as reported by the national television network, RTA.
Official Response
Health authorities from the Taliban government in Kabul are currently working to verify the official death toll while also attempting to reach remote areas affected by the quake.
Earthquake Details
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake, measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale, occurred at 19:17 GMT, just before midnight local time, close to the Pakistan border. It reportedly struck at a depth of 8 kilometers.
Impact and Rescue Efforts
Afghan authorities expressed concerns that the death and injury numbers could rise significantly, particularly as the quake hit the rough terrain of Kunar Province in northeastern Afghanistan. Rescue teams continue to search for survivors amidst the rubble of collapsed homes.
A spokesperson from the Afghan Health Ministry stated, “The casualty figures are high, but due to the difficult access to the region, our teams are still on site.”
Local information officer Najibullah Hanif indicated that hundreds of injured individuals have been transported to hospitals. However, numbers are expected to climb as reports come in from remote areas with limited access.
Rescue operations are ongoing in several regions of the mountain province, where the earthquake, which had a depth of 10 kilometers, flattened homes made of mud and stone near the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan.
Historical Context
Afghanistan frequently experiences earthquakes that result in significant casualties, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range. Last year, a series of earthquakes in the western part of the country claimed over a thousand lives, highlighting the vulnerability of one of the world’s poorest nations to natural disasters.