A magnitude 6.0 earthquake in Afghanistan’s Kunar province killed at least 1,411 people and injured 3,124.
More than 5,400 houses were destroyed, with families buried under collapsed mud and stone homes.
Rescue operations are hampered by blocked roads and limited aid as the Taliban appeals for assistance.
The death toll from a powerful earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has risen to more than 1,400. Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said at least 1,411 people have been killed in Kunar province, the area worst affected by the magnitude 6.0 quake. In a post on X, he added that 3,124 others were injured and more than 5,400 houses destroyed.
The earthquake struck on Monday morning, sending tremors through several eastern provinces near the border with Pakistan.
Kunar, a mountainous and densely populated region, has seen widespread collapse of homes built with mud and stone, leaving families buried under the debris. Rescue operations are underway but have been hampered by blocked roads and the remoteness of many affected villages.
Afghanistan is highly prone to earthquakes, particularly along the Hindu Kush fault line. In June 2022, a magnitude 5.9 quake in Paktika province killed more than 1,000 people and injured thousands, exposing the country’s fragile disaster response capacity.
The latest disaster comes at a time when the Taliban administration faces deepening isolation and limited access to international aid, raising fears about how survivors will be housed and treated. Authorities have urged local organisations and neighbouring countries to send assistance.
