Kabul, September 3: Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers called for urgent international help on Tuesday after a powerful earthquake killed at least 1,411 people, injured more than 3,000 and flattened entire villages in the country’s east, compounding a humanitarian crisis worsened by shrinking foreign aid.
The 6.0-magnitude quake struck late on Sunday near Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, close to the Pakistan border, and was followed by strong aftershocks. A second tremor of 5.2-magnitude hit the same region on Tuesday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.
Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the quake had destroyed more than 5,400 homes. “We need it because here lots of people lost their lives and houses,” health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman told Reuters.
Heavy rain and landslides have hampered rescue operations in mountainous areas, while aid groups warned the death toll was likely to rise. Nearly half a million people were exposed to strong shaking, according to USGS estimates.
Images from Kunar province, among the worst hit, showed residents digging with shovels through rubble to search for survivors. Witnesses described families trapped under collapsed homes, waiting hours for rescuers to arrive.
Afghanistan, already reeling from poverty, drought and mass refugee returns from Pakistan and Iran, has been hit by three major quakes since 2021. The latest disaster comes as humanitarian aid to the country has plunged to $767 million this year, from $3.8 billion in 2022, after the Taliban seized power and imposed harsh restrictions on women.
The United States cut $1.7 billion in aid contracts earlier this year, while European countries have also reduced support. “It’s not just the funding shortfalls, it’s the compounding of shock after shock,” said Thamindri De Silva, National Director of World Vision Afghanistan.
Some nations have begun sending relief. The United Arab Emirates dispatched tents, food and medical supplies along with a rescue team. Britain announced £1 million ($1.3 million) in emergency funding, while the European Union pledged €1 million ($1.16 million) and aid stocks. India delivered 1,000 family tents and 15 metric tons of food. China said it was ready to provide help “according to Afghanistan’s needs.”
The U.S. State Department offered condolences but has not announced immediate assistance.
