At least 1,400 people have died in a devastating earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday. The United Nations has warned that the casualty rate is likely to rise sharply as rescuers struggle to reach people in time to save them.
The magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near the Pakistan border, with the epicentre located 17 miles from Jalalabad according to theweek.com. Rescue efforts are severely hampered by infrastructure damage and limited resources in the affected region.
International response
The UK has pledged one million pounds in aid to relief agencies as part of the international relief effort. Emergency teams are racing against time to find survivors, with the critical 72-hour rescue window rapidly closing.
Many health facilities in the affected area are closed or suspended due to the withdrawal of international funding following the Taliban takeover four years ago. The healthcare system collapse has severely limited the ability to treat the injured and coordinate rescue operations.
Ongoing concerns
A 5.2 magnitude aftershock struck on Tuesday near the original epicentre, according to the Daily Mail, further complicating rescue efforts. UN humanitarian affairs officials predict casualties could double or triple as more remote areas are reached and assessed.
This marks the third major deadly earthquake since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Previous earthquakes in 2022 and 2023 resulted in similar death tolls, highlighting Afghanistan's vulnerability amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Sources used: "Channel4", "theweek.com", "Evening Standard", "dailymail"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
