A MAS earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 rocked northeastern Afghanistan just before midnight on Sunday. The devastation from the quake was profound, accompanied by heartbreaking loss of life. The earthquake hit with its epicenter roughly 46 kilometers (28.58 miles) northeast of Jalalabad. The city, home to just under 200,000 people, sits along the Kabul River in Nangarhar Province. The jolts were reportedly felt in major Pakistani cities, highlighting the earthquake’s sizeable reach.
The first quake was quickly followed by at least five aftershocks, the strongest of which was 5.2 magnitude. The earthquake hit at a relatively shallow depth of about 8 kilometers (4.97 miles). In addition, this fierce depth increased the impact on vulnerable surrounding infrastructure. The disaster has left at least 1,124 people tragically dead. Furthermore, 3,251 more have been injured.
Widespread Destruction and Casualties
The earthquake’s destruction reached far beyond Jalalabad, hitting Kunar Province especially hard, where three villages were reportedly wiped out in that province. A further nine out of 34 provinces—including Laghman, Nuristan, and Panjshir—reported damage and injuries due to the earthquake. Local authorities are working round the clock to determine the magnitude of the devastation and deliver emergency relief to impacted areas.
As one local official, Yousaf Hammad, explained the conditions are still critical.
“The injured are being evacuated, so these figures may change significantly.” – Yousaf Hammad
The highly inadequate initial response to the disaster has been compounded by chronic resource scarcity. Humanitarian aid groups like the International Red Cross are facing challenges in meeting the increasing needs for relief, even as they redeploy to assist victims.
International Response and Aid Efforts
In the wake of that tragedy, international assistance has started to converge on the region. The United Kingdom has pledged £1 million, about $1.3 million, of emergency assistance. Their support will ensure that the families most affected by the earthquake receive the assistance they need. UK Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy knows how crucial aid workers are in a situation like this, which is why he issued this plea.
“The UK remains grateful to the aid workers on the ground, who help us to provide support to Afghanistan’s most vulnerable people.” – David Lammy
China’s foreign ministry expressed willingness to assist, stating that aid would be provided “according to Afghanistan’s needs and within its capacity.” This indicates a deeper understanding of the urgent humanitarian needs that have arisen in Afghanistan after this most recent natural disaster.
Local Voices and Ongoing Challenges
As one of these home and business owners, local residents have called for help in their most time of need following the devastating earthquake. Sharafat Zaman, a survivor from the worst affected area, captured the level of despair sweeping through communities.
“We need it because here lots of people lost their lives and houses.” – Sharafat Zaman
The confluence of challenges that have beset Afghanistan in recent months has not escaped the attention of humanitarian NGOs. Thamindri De Silva noted that with all the other crises, resources have already been stretched pretty thin.
“So it’s not just the funding shortfalls, it’s the compounding of shock after shock in the country, which is stretching already very thin resources.” – Thamindri De Silva
