At least 622 people have lost their lives while hundreds remain injured after a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Afghanistan’s eastern mountainous belt near the Pakistan border. The tremors, centered around Jalalabad at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers, were powerful enough to be felt as far away as Islamabad, more than 300 kilometers distant. Officials caution that the toll may rise further as damage reports continue to pour in from remote and hard-hit districts, particularly in Kunar province where hospitals are struggling to cope.
Helicopters have been pressed into service to airlift the injured, while aftershocks rattled residents on Monday morning. The Taliban administration has formally appealed for assistance from international aid agencies to help in rescue and relief efforts. Afghanistan’s location in the Hindu Kush mountain range, resting at the meeting point of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, makes it one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the world. The latest devastation underscores how vulnerable the country remains in the absence of strong infrastructure and global support.
