Afghanistan Earthquake: Over 600 Killed, 1,500 Injured After 6.0 Magnitude Quake
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A devastating earthquake measuring 6.0 magnitude struck south-eastern Afghanistan late Sunday night, leaving at least 622 people dead and more than 1,500 injured, according to the country’s interior ministry. The powerful tremors caused widespread destruction, levelling villages and damaging hundreds of homes.
Interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani confirmed that in Kunar province alone, “610 people were killed and 1,300 were injured in Kunar province, with numerous houses destroyed." He further added that in Nangarhar province, 12 lives were lost and another 255 people sustained injuries.
Three villages in Kunar — Nurgal, Chawkay, and Watapur — were completely razed, as reported by Bakhtar News Agency. Rescue teams continue to search for missing persons trapped under the rubble, but access to the worst-hit areas remains a major challenge.
Health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said, “The number of casualties and injuries is high, but since the area is difficult to access, our teams are still on site.”
External Affairs Minister of India, S. Jaishankar, expressed his condolences and support on X, writing, “The devastating earthquake in Kunar Province of Afghanistan is a matter of deep concern. Express our support and solidarity to the Afghan people as they respond to it. India will extend assistance in this hour of need. Our condolences to the families of the victims. And our prayers for the early recovery of the injured."
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported the quake’s depth at 10 km (6.21 miles). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) also confirmed the epicentre was located 36 km north of Basawul, Afghanistan, striking at 11:47 pm local time.
The tremors were felt far beyond Afghanistan, shaking buildings in Kabul and reaching as far as Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, nearly 370 km away. Eyewitnesses reported buildings swaying for several seconds, causing panic across the region.
Rescue and relief operations are ongoing, with international aid likely to be extended as Afghanistan grapples with the aftermath of one of its deadliest earthquakes in recent years.
Interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani confirmed that in Kunar province alone, “610 people were killed and 1,300 were injured in Kunar province, with numerous houses destroyed." He further added that in Nangarhar province, 12 lives were lost and another 255 people sustained injuries.
Three villages in Kunar — Nurgal, Chawkay, and Watapur — were completely razed, as reported by Bakhtar News Agency. Rescue teams continue to search for missing persons trapped under the rubble, but access to the worst-hit areas remains a major challenge.
Health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said, “The number of casualties and injuries is high, but since the area is difficult to access, our teams are still on site.”
External Affairs Minister of India, S. Jaishankar, expressed his condolences and support on X, writing, “The devastating earthquake in Kunar Province of Afghanistan is a matter of deep concern. Express our support and solidarity to the Afghan people as they respond to it. India will extend assistance in this hour of need. Our condolences to the families of the victims. And our prayers for the early recovery of the injured."
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported the quake’s depth at 10 km (6.21 miles). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) also confirmed the epicentre was located 36 km north of Basawul, Afghanistan, striking at 11:47 pm local time.
The tremors were felt far beyond Afghanistan, shaking buildings in Kabul and reaching as far as Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, nearly 370 km away. Eyewitnesses reported buildings swaying for several seconds, causing panic across the region.
Rescue and relief operations are ongoing, with international aid likely to be extended as Afghanistan grapples with the aftermath of one of its deadliest earthquakes in recent years.
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