Deadly Earthquake Strikes Afghanistan, Over 600 Killed and Thousands Injured
KABUL – A powerful earthquake has devastated parts of Afghanistan, leaving at least 622 people dead and more than 1,500 injured, according to the Taliban-run interior ministry. The 6.0-magnitude quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers, flattening villages and overwhelming hospitals already struggling to cope.
Earlier estimates by state broadcaster RTA put the death toll at around 500, but officials now warn the numbers are expected to rise as rescuers reach remote areas.
In Kabul, health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said initial reports from clinics show more than 400 injured and dozens of deaths. “The final figures could be far higher,” he added.
Helicopter footage aired by Reuters showed soldiers and residents working together to pull survivors from the rubble and carry the wounded into ambulances. In Kunar province, authorities said three villages were destroyed, while many others suffered heavy damage.
Najibullah Hanif, Kunar’s provincial information head, confirmed at least 250 deaths and 500 injuries so far, noting that the toll could climb as rescue efforts continue. In one village alone, 30 people were killed and hundreds were taken to the hospital.
The quake struck near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where fragile mud and stone homes collapsed instantly under the midnight tremors.
“So far, no foreign governments have reached out to provide support for rescue or relief work,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said.
Afghanistan is no stranger to such tragedies. The country, located in the seismically active Hindu Kush region, frequently suffers deadly quakes. Last year, a series of tremors in the west killed more than 1,000 people, exposing the severe vulnerability of one of the world’s poorest nations.
This latest disaster comes as Afghanistan struggles with dwindling international aid and a humanitarian crisis worsened by the forced return of thousands of its citizens from neighboring countries.
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