At Least 800 Dead and 1,300 Injured After 6.0 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Afghanistan

At least 800 people have died and another 1,300 have been injured after a strong earthquake hit Afghanistan’s Kunar province.

The 6.0-magnitude quake struck around 11:45 p.m. local time on Sunday, Aug. 31, near the city of Jalalabad and surrounding provinces including Nangarhar, Laghman, Nuristan, and Panjshir, according to Hasht-e Sobh and Khaama Press. Many victims were trapped under collapsed buildings, and the rough mountain terrain has made rescue efforts more difficult, Afghan outlet Hewad reported.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the death toll has reached 800, according to multiple outlets including NBC News and The Independent. Khaama Press added that 1,300 people are reported injured, citing the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior.

“Sadly, tonight’s earthquake has caused loss of life and property damage in some of our eastern provinces,” Mujahid said, according to Sky News. “Local officials and residents are currently engaged in rescue efforts for the affected people. Support teams from the centre and nearby provinces are also on their way.”

The Taliban government is using helicopters to help reach survivors. Landslides triggered by the quake have made access difficult.

Because the quake struck a remote area, it will take time to confirm the total damage, said Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the Afghan Public Health Ministry, per NBC. “We have launched a massive rescue operation and mobilized hundreds of people to help those in the affected areas,” he said.

According to the BBC, unconfirmed reports suggest that nearly 30 people in one village have died. Three villages were described as “completely destroyed and heavily damaged,” and officials warned the death toll will likely rise because communication and access are limited.

Dr. Muladad, head of the provincial hospital in Asadabad, told the BBC that the hospital is admitting “one patient every five minutes” since the disaster. He called the situation a “crisis” and declared an emergency at the facility.

The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority and the Ministry of Public Health have not responded to requests for comment as of Monday, Sept. 1.

Before this earthquake, Nangarhar and Kunar provinces were already hit by flash floods that killed multiple people, per the BBC.

Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. In 2023, a series of earthquakes in the country’s west killed more than 1,000 people. The year before, another quake in Paktika province killed a similar number.