Afghanistan Earthquake Kills Hundreds: Interior Ministry

Mon Sep 01 2025
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KABUL: A 6.0-magnitude earthquake that hit eastern Afghanistan killed 622 people, with more than 1,500 injured, the interior ministry spokesman said Monday.

In the earthquake that struck just before midnight on Sunday, “610 people were killed and 1,300 were injured in Kunar province, with numerous houses destroyed”, spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani told AFP, adding that in Nangarhar province 12 people were killed and another 255 injured.

The earthquake, which struck at 11:47pm local time, originated in the Hindu Kush region, a seismically active area where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide. The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported the quake at a depth of 10 kilometres, with the epicentre located approximately 28 km northwest of Basawul, near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Widespread destruction, ongoing rescue efforts

The quake caused extensive damage across several districts in Kunar province, particularly in remote and mountainous areas like Mazar Dara. Afghan Air Force helicopters and ground rescue teams have been deployed to evacuate the wounded and provide urgent medical assistance.

However, the response has been hampered by severely damaged roads and blocked access routes, complicating efforts to reach the most devastated areas.

Tremors felt across region

Strong tremors were felt across eastern Afghanistan, as well as parts of Pakistan and northern India. In Pakistan, the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) recorded the quake at 12:18am local time, with tremors felt in Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Murree, Lahore, and multiple towns in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

In India, residents of Delhi-NCR shared videos on social media of shaking furniture and ceiling fans. While no casualties were reported in Pakistan or India, authorities issued alerts for possible aftershocks and urged citizens to avoid unstable structures.

Calls for immediate humanitarian assistance

The Kunar governor’s office confirmed the death toll had exceeded 250 and warned that the number could rise as rescue efforts continue. Hundreds more remain injured, many of them in critical condition. Government officials and local communities have issued urgent appeals for humanitarian aid, including food, medical supplies, and shelter.

“This is a major tragedy,” said a provincial official. “We are doing everything we can, but we need immediate international assistance to cope with the scale of the disaster.”

Seismically active and vulnerable

The Hindu Kush region, straddling Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan, is one of Asia’s most earthquake-prone zones. Shallow earthquakes, like the one that struck Sunday, often cause intense ground shaking and pose greater risks to vulnerable populations, especially in areas with poor infrastructure and limited medical access.

Afghanistan has faced several earthquakes in recent months, including a 5.5-magnitude tremor on August 2 and a 4.2-magnitude quake on August 6, underscoring the region’s persistent seismic threat.

More to follow….

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