At least 500 people have been killed and more than 2,000 injured after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan near Jalalabad late Sunday, Taliban officials confirmed Monday(September 1).

The quake, which hit around midnight local time, was centered just 17 miles from Jalalabad near the Pakistan border, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Its shallow depth of about 5 miles made it particularly destructive, with powerful tremors felt across the mountainous region.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced the rising death toll after an earlier estimate of 250 fatalities. Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Public Health Ministry, said rescue efforts are underway, with hundreds of people mobilized to assist survivors in remote areas. However, he warned that the final toll could climb as access to affected villages remains difficult.

At least five aftershocks ranging from 4.5 to 5.2 in magnitude were recorded throughout Monday, raising fears of further damage and complicating rescue operations.

Afghanistan is highly prone to earthquakes, lying on the fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian plates meet. In 2022, a 5.9-magnitude quake killed around 1,000 people in the east, while a series of tremors in Herat province last year left more than 1,500 dead.

The disaster strikes at a time when Afghanistan is already struggling with severe humanitarian challenges, including prolonged drought, food shortages, and the return of more than 2.3 million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan this year. Aid agencies warn that many communities are ill-prepared for another crisis as winter approaches.

BOB Post