Over 600 killed, 400 injured after 6.3 magnitude quake in Afghanistan.
Tremors felt in Pakistan; strong aftershocks recorded.
Remote terrain hampers operations, toll expected to rise
Earthquake In Afghanistan Kills Over 600, Rescue Operations Intensify
Strong 6.3 magnitude quake devastates Jalalabad region, toll expected to rise
Summary
More than 600 people have been killed after a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan on Monday, devastating large parts of the Jalalabad region in Nangarhar province. Rescue teams are racing against time to pull survivors from the rubble, as officials warn that the death toll is likely to climb further.
According to Al Jazeera, Initial reports confirmed 250 deaths, but the toll quickly rose to over 500 according to state-run broadcaster Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA). The Taliban-run interior ministry later confirmed 622 fatalities, alongside more than 400 people injured. “The number of casualties and injuries is high, but since the area is difficult to access, our teams are still on site,” said Health Ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck near Jalalabad, followed by a 4.7 magnitude aftershock at a depth of around 140 km. The tremors were felt as far away as Pakistan, shaking cities across the border.
This disaster, as cited by Al Jazeera, has been described as the deadliest earthquake to hit Afghanistan since 2023, when a similar 6.3 magnitude tremor killed thousands. Afghanistan remains highly vulnerable to seismic activity, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
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