Devastating 6.0-Magnitude Earthquake in Eastern Afghanistan Claims Over 800 Lives

A catastrophic 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late on Sunday, August 31, 2025, with its epicenter located near Jalalabad in the provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar. The tremor, unusually shallow at roughly 5 km below the surface, unleashed widespread destruction across remote mountainous villages.

Official figures released by the Taliban government report that more than 800 people lost their lives, with some sources placing the death toll at 812, and more than 2,500 to 2,800 were injured. The hardest-hit areas include Kunar Province’s Nurgal District and surrounding communities, many of which were levelled, leaving survivors trapped beneath rubble.

Multiple powerful aftershocks, including magnitude-5.2 events, compounded the damage, triggering landslides that blocked roads and cut off communication.

Rescue operations commenced immediately but were severely impeded by the rugged terrain, blocked roads, and limited telecommunications. Survivors and first responders were forced to dig by hand through debris, while helicopters conducted dozens of evacuation flights to hospitals in Jalalabad and Nangarhar.

Humanitarian agencies, including the UN, UNICEF, and the Afghan Red Crescent, have begun delivering emergency relief. However, ongoing international aid shortages—exacerbated by previous funding cutbacks threaten the success of relief and recovery efforts.

Compounding the tragedy are cultural barriers: women and children in conservative regions like Kunar struggle to access timely medical care due to the paucity of female rescue workers.
The earthquake was felt hundreds of miles away, including in Kabul, Islamabad, and parts of northern India and Pakistan, underscoring the region’s seismic vulnerability. As of today, rescue and relief operations continue amid grim forecasts that the death toll may rise further.

Sources: The Guardian, BBC News, Washington Post