A catastrophic 6.0-magnitude earthquake rocked eastern Afghanistan on Sunday night, claiming at least 1,124 lives and injuring 3,251, according to the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS). The disaster, centered in Kunar province, obliterated over 8,000 homes, leaving countless families in despair.
“Rescue operations are underway, with many still trapped beneath collapsed structures,” ARCS reported in a statement shared on X. The National Disaster Management Authority reported a slightly lower toll of 900 deaths and 3,000 injuries but cautioned that these figures are likely to climb as search efforts continue.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the quake striking at 19:17 GMT, near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, just before midnight local time.
Afghanistan, already battered by decades of conflict and economic hardship, faces compounded challenges with ongoing refugee deportations from Pakistan and Iran, further straining its fragile disaster response capacity.
