A powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan just before midnight on August 31, killing more than 600 people and injuring at least 1,500 across the country’s mountainous border regions with Pakistan. Entire villages were flattened, and the disaster has triggered a massive rescue and relief operation in one of the world’s most fragile humanitarian zones.
The quake, measured at magnitude 6.0, struck in Kunar Province, near Jalalabad in Nangarhar, at a shallow depth of about 8 to 10 kilometers—an especially dangerous depth that amplifies ground shaking. The tremors were felt across eastern Afghanistan and parts of northern Pakistan.
According to the Taliban-led Interior Ministry, at least 622 people have died so far, though officials fear the toll could rise as rescue teams reach remote areas cut off by landslides and debris. More than 1,500 people have been injured, many seriously.
In the worst-hit areas of Kunar, three villages were reported completely destroyed. Hundreds of homes—mostly built from mud and stone—collapsed in seconds, trapping families inside.
Footage from the region showed entire hillsides of debris, with survivors digging through rubble by hand. Helicopters have been deployed to evacuate the injured, but mountainous terrain and blocked roads are severely hampering access.
Local communities, Taliban forces, and aid groups are working side by side to deliver food, tents, and emergency care. Medical teams from Kabul have been rushed to the area, though health officials warn that many remote districts still have not received any assistance.
The Taliban government has issued an urgent appeal for international aid, saying the scale of the disaster is beyond the country’s ability to manage alone. Years of war, drought, and economic collapse have left Afghanistan dangerously under-resourced to respond to crises of this magnitude.
Hospitals in the region are overwhelmed, and basic supplies such as clean water, medicine, and shelter are running low. Afghan officials say time is running out to save those still trapped under rubble or isolated in hard-hit areas.
Afghanistan sits atop major fault lines, making earthquakes a regular threat. The country’s eastern provinces are particularly vulnerable, with homes often built using traditional methods that cannot withstand seismic shocks.
This latest earthquake is among the deadliest since 2023, when another powerful tremor in western Afghanistan killed more than 1,000 people.
For the United States and its allies, this crisis highlights the ongoing vulnerability of Afghan civilians. Despite the political shift after the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, humanitarian needs remain immense. The earthquake could prompt renewed discussions on cross-border aid, NGO access, and disaster response coordination in Taliban-controlled territories.
