A powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 800 fatalities and injuring more than 2,500 people. The magnitude 6 quake, which struck at a depth of eight kilometers, devastated towns in Kunar Province, particularly near the city of Jalalabad. This disaster has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in the country, which is grappling with reduced international aid and the return of many citizens from neighboring countries.
Rescue efforts unfolded through the night as desperate families searched for missing loved ones amid the rubble of collapsed buildings. According to figures released by the Taliban government, the majority of casualties occurred in Kunar Province, where entire villages were destroyed. Footage from the region showed emergency responders transporting the injured on stretchers to awaiting helicopters, while survivors used their hands to dig through debris in hopes of finding trapped individuals.
In a press conference, Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban government spokesperson, confirmed the increasing death toll and highlighted the urgent need for assistance. Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the health ministry in Kabul, echoed this call for international aid, stating, “We need it because here lots of people lost their lives and houses.”
Military rescue teams mobilized quickly, with the defense ministry reporting that over 40 flights had been conducted to transport 420 wounded individuals and deceased victims from the affected areas. The health ministry reported that three villages were completely razed, with significant damage reported in many others.
Residents in the hardest-hit areas described the devastation. One villager from Nurgal District, which sustained severe damage, conveyed the urgent need for help, saying, “Children are under the rubble. The elderly are under the rubble. Young people are under the rubble.” He urged for assistance in recovering those still trapped.
Survivors recounted harrowing experiences during the quake. Sadiqullah, a resident of Maza Dara in Nurgal, described being awakened by a loud boom, reminiscent of an approaching storm. He managed to rescue three of his children but was then trapped when the room collapsed. “I was half-buried and unable to get out,” he told The Associated Press from a hospital in Nangarhar. Tragically, he lost his wife and two sons in the disaster, while his father was also injured.
As rescue operations intensified, the region bordering Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was particularly hard-hit, with mud and stone homes flattened. In response to the disaster, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres announced that the United Nations mission in Afghanistan was preparing to assist those affected by the quake.
This earthquake marks one of the deadliest natural disasters in Afghanistan’s recent history. The magnitude 6.3 earthquake earlier in October, coupled with strong aftershocks, has led to a profound humanitarian crisis. While the Taliban government estimates that at least 4,000 people perished, the United Nations has reported a considerably lower figure of approximately 1,500 deaths.
As the nation begins to reckon with the aftermath of this catastrophe, the immediate focus remains on rescue efforts and providing aid to the thousands impacted by this tragedy.
