Hundreds Killed as Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake Strikes Eastern Afghanistan
A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake has struck eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border, killing at least 610 people and injuring over 1,300. The shallow quake, with its epicentre near Jalalabad, destroyed numerous villages and caused extensive damage. Officials warn that the death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams work to reach the remote, mountainous region. The Taliban-controlled administration is coordinating rescue efforts, with medical teams dispatched from across the country to assist the injured in the devastated areas.
Unpacked:
Afghanistan sits near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates in the Hindu Kush mountain range, making it a seismically active region frequently experiencing significant earthquakes.
The Taliban administration is overseeing rescue operations, dispatching medical teams and doctors nationwide. Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry has sent medicine and personnel, but remote villages remain difficult to reach, and hospitals are overwhelmed.
Many villages are in remote, mountainous areas with limited infrastructure, making access difficult for rescue teams. Damaged roads and ongoing aftershocks further complicate efforts to reach survivors and provide aid.
Yes, Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan have been hit by multiple earthquakes this year, including magnitudes 5.2 to 5.8 in the Hindu Kush region and a 5.6 quake just days before this event, reflecting frequent seismic activity in the area.