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The hardest-hit area is Kunar province, where most residents live in traditional mud-brick and timber homes.
Initial estimates placed the death toll at around 1,400 (Image: Wakil Kohsar/AFP)
The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan earlier this week has risen to over 2,200, according to a Taliban government spokesperson. The quake, which devastated several remote mountain villages, is one of the deadliest natural disasters the country has experienced in recent years.
The magnitude-6.0 earthquake hit late Sunday, shaking the rugged eastern provinces of Afghanistan. Its epicenter was located in a remote, mountainous region, making rescue and relief operations extremely difficult. The tremors were shallow and widely felt, reaching as far as neighbouring countries, including parts of northern India.
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The hardest-hit area is Kunar province, where most residents live in traditional mud-brick and timber homes built along steep river valleys and surrounded by towering mountains. These structures offered little resistance against the quake’s force, leading to widespread destruction and a tragic loss of life.
According to an assessment released on Thursday by the international aid organisation Islamic Relief, approximately 98% of buildings in the affected areas of Kunar have been either damaged or completely destroyed. Entire villages have been flattened, and many residents remain buried under the rubble. The charity warned that humanitarian agencies are facing major challenges due to limited access, lack of supplies, and a shortage of trained personnel on the ground.
Initial estimates placed the death toll at around 1,400, but Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat announced on Thursday that the confirmed number of fatalities had risen to 2,205. He added that search and rescue efforts are still underway, though time is running out to find survivors.
Even before the quake, Afghanistan was grappling with a humanitarian crisis. The country continues to suffer from prolonged drought, a collapsing economy, and the strain of accommodating nearly 2 million Afghan returnees who were recently forced to leave neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Iran.
The earthquake has deepened the ongoing crisis, overwhelming already fragile infrastructure and aid capacity.
International aid groups have called for urgent global support to help address the growing needs of those affected by the disaster.
Kabul, Afghanistan
September 05, 2025, 01:06 IST
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