KABUL (Kashmir English): A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan late on Sunday, killing over 622 and injuring hundreds, the Afghanistan’s Interior and Information Ministries confirmed.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) measured the quake at 19:17 GMT, and its epicenter was around 27 kilometers east-northeast of Jalalabad at a depth of just eight kilometers.
Officials have confirmed fatalities in various districts of Kunar province, such as Nur Gal, Sawki, Watpur, Manogi, and Chapa Dara. Landslides also cut off roads to Dewa Gul in Sawki and Mazar Dara in Nur Gul, making rescue efforts difficult. Locals said the quake was one of the strongest in years.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a representative of Afghanistan’s interim government, confirmed the human and material damage and posted on social media that “local officials and people are conducting rescue operations, while central and neighboring province emergency teams are en route.” He said all available resources are being deployed to rescue lives.
The USGS also measured at least two 5.2 magnitude aftershocks in the same area shortly after the first earthquake.
This tragedy comes on the heels of the catastrophic October 7, 2023, earthquake in Afghanistan that had a magnitude of 6.3. Although the Taliban government estimated almost 4,000 fatalities, the United Nations estimated the toll at around 1,500, referring to it as one of the nation’s most deadly natural disasters in recent times.
