A broken building with a tree growing beside it
A broken building with a tree growing beside it abbas mizazade/Unsplash

A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late on Sunday night, killing more than 600 people and injuring over 1,500 others.

The tremor, which struck at a shallow depth of about 8 kilometres, hit near Jalalabad in Nangarhar Province, close to the border with Pakistan.

Strong shocks were felt across Kabul, Islamabad, Peshawar and even as far as northern India, sending thousands into the streets in panic.

Epicentre and Scale of Quake

The United States Geological Survey confirmed that the epicentre lay about 27 kilometres north-east of Jalalabad. Its shallow depth made it especially destructive, with the Modified Mercalli intensity scale recording levels of VII to VIII, categorised as very strong to severe, in the surrounding districts.

At least 13 aftershocks have followed, two of them above magnitude 5.0, raising fears of further damage.

Death Toll Rises Across Provinces

Afghanistan's Taliban-run Interior Ministry confirmed that at least 622 people had been killed, with the number expected to rise as rescue efforts continue.

Kunar Province has emerged as the worst-hit region, with entire villages flattened and widespread structural collapse.

In Nangarhar's Darai Nur District, officials reported nine deaths and more than 250 injuries.

Laghman Province also suffered dozens of casualties as houses and public buildings crumbled under the force of the quake.

Hospitals Overwhelmed by Casualties

Hospitals in Jalalabad and nearby areas have been pushed beyond capacity, with doctors warning they are admitting one patient every five minutes, the BBC reported.

Dr Muladad, head of the provincial hospital in Asadabad, said 188 injured people, including women and children, were brought in within hours, forcing patients to lie on the ground after bed space ran out.

Medical staff have reported shortages of critical supplies including bandages, pain relief and intravenous fluids. Electricity cuts and damaged infrastructure have further hampered efforts to care for the injured.

The Afghan Red Crescent Society has appealed for urgent international support, while the United Nations has warned that health facilities risk being paralysed by the surge of patients.

Rescue Efforts Face Major Challenges

Search and rescue operations have been launched by Taliban authorities, who have deployed helicopters and emergency teams to affected areas.

However, mountainous terrain, landslides and blocked roads are preventing aid from reaching remote villages.

Rescue workers have described scenes of devastation, with families trapped under rubble and survivors setting up makeshift shelters.

Power outages across parts of Nangarhar and Kunar have slowed communication and coordination, making the relief effort more difficult.

Human Impact on Communities

The scale of human suffering has been stark. Families have been left homeless, many mourning the loss of multiple relatives. Survivors in Jalalabad and surrounding districts have described spending the night outdoors in fear of further aftershocks.

Local media reported that children were among the casualties, with community leaders urging faster aid delivery to avoid further deaths.

Geological Context and Seismic Vulnerability

Experts have identified the quake as a reverse-fault event in the Hindu Kush seismic zone, one of the most earthquake-prone regions in Asia.

Afghanistan's mountainous geography makes it particularly vulnerable to landslides following seismic activity.

The country has faced a history of devastating earthquakes, including the Herat quakes of 2023 that killed thousands. Seismologists have warned that further aftershocks remain likely, with the risk of secondary hazards including rockslides and flooding in affected valleys.

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