A devastating 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan's Kunar province near the Pakistan border, killing hundreds of people and completely destroying multiple villages. The shallow quake occurred at approximately 11.47pm local time on Sunday night, with officials confirming at least 250 fatalities in Kunar province alone.
Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for Afghanistan's health ministry, said several villages have been "completely destroyed" and rescue operations are underway. "The figures for martyrs and injured are changing," he added, as medical teams from Kunar, Nangarhar and the capital Kabul arrived in the affected area.
Rescue operations underway
The earthquake's shallow depth of five to 10 miles made it particularly destructive, according to geological data. Reports indicate casualty figures have evolved dramatically as rescue teams reach remote areas, with initial counts of nine deaths rising to over 500 as the scale of destruction became apparent.
The Taliban government has requested international aid for rescue operations as emergency teams struggle to reach affected villages. The mountainous terrain and infrastructure damage are hampering relief efforts in the remote border region.
Geological vulnerability
Afghanistan sits in the seismically active Hindu Kush mountain range, where tectonic plates intersect and create frequent earthquake activity. The country has suffered devastating earthquakes in recent years, including disasters in western Afghanistan that killed over 1,000 people.
The current disaster highlights Afghanistan's ongoing vulnerability to natural catastrophes, compounded by limited emergency response capabilities. International humanitarian organisations are monitoring the situation as casualty figures continue to rise.
Sources used: "Guardian", "The i", "GBNews", "Metro", "Herald Scotland", "Express", "Daily Star", "Evening Standard", "Daily Mail"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
