Intense 6.0-magnitude earthquake leaves over 800 deaths in Afghanistan close to the Pakistan border.
In a tragic turn of events, an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 hit Afghanistan on Sunday night at 11:47 p.m. local time. The epicentre of the earthquake was 27 kilometres (17 miles) east-northeast of Jalalabad, in Nangarhar province.
The shallower depth of the earthquake, at 8 kilometres (5 miles), has contributed to the extensive damage it has caused. Afghanistan, being located on a seismic fault line where the Indian and Eurasian plates collide, is one of Asia's most earthquake-prone countries.
The earthquake has left a trail of destruction in its wake, with numerous villages in Kunar province being devastated and extensive damage reported in Nangarhar province. Earthquakes in mountainous areas often trigger landslides, which can bury homes, block rivers, and cut off vital roads, making emergency response more difficult.
The hardest-hit areas are the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar near Jalalabad. The Afghan government, under the Taliban, is managing the response from Kabul, with search and relief efforts being coordinated despite difficult access and blocked roads.
The death toll from the earthquake is currently at least 800, with over 2,500 people injured. The Afghan Red Crescent Society is working tirelessly to provide aid and support to the affected communities. The death and injury toll are expected to increase as search and rescue teams reach the area.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Afghanistan has been hit by such a disaster. In 2015, a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Pakistan and Afghanistan, killing over 380 people, with the majority of deaths in Pakistan. Last year, a series of strong quakes hit Afghanistan's Herat province, killing over 1,500 people and damaging or destroying more than 63,000 homes.
The country is currently facing a humanitarian disaster, exacerbated by four decades of war. With the return of the Taliban, foreign aid to Afghanistan has significantly decreased, weakening the nation's ability to respond to disasters.
In a heart-wrenching incident in 2015, 12 young Afghan girls were crushed to death in a stampede as they tried to flee their shaking school building. These incidents underscore the urgency of improving the infrastructure and emergency response systems in the country, especially in the east and northeast where mud-brick homes are fragile and rescue efforts are hindered by rugged terrain and poor infrastructure.
Nangarhar province was also hit by flooding overnight Friday to Saturday, which caused five deaths, destroyed crops, and property. The combined effects of the earthquake and flood have left many communities in a state of despair.
As the world watches, let us hope for the safety and well-being of the people of Afghanistan during these trying times.
