A powerful earthquake of magnitude 5.5 struck southeastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, just two days after a devastating 6.0-magnitude quake killed more than 1,400 people and left thousands injured in the same region.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Tuesday’s( September 3) quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), the same depth as Sunday’s disaster. The latest tremor has sparked fears of further damage and casualties in villages already flattened by the earlier quake.

Rescue and relief operations remain severely hampered by the rugged, mountainous terrain. Many remote villages in the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar remain cut off, raising concerns that the full scale of destruction is yet to be known.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that at least 1,411 people have died so far, 3,124 have been injured, and more than 5,400 houses destroyed since Sunday night’s quake. Humanitarian organizations, including the Afghan Red Crescent Society, warn that more people are likely trapped beneath rubble.

The United Nations coordinator in Afghanistan also said the death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams continue their search.

Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide. This latest disaster is among the deadliest the country has faced in years, underscoring its fragility in the face of natural calamities.

BOB Post