Afghanistan earthquake kills at least 250; deadliest since 2023

A powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, killing hundreds of people, making it the deadliest such disaster in more than two years.

The quake hit the adjoining provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman around midnight, state-run Bakhtar News Agency said citing unnamed officials. In the Kunar province alone some 250 people were reported killed and more than 500 others wounded, the wire reported, adding that the death toll could still rise as search and rescue efforts continue.

The US Geological Survey recorded the event at a 6.0-magnitude, with the epicenter about 27 kilometers (17 miles) east north east of Jalalabad. It struck at a depth of about 8 kilometers.

Afghanistan sits on a seismic fault line where the Indian and Eurasian plates collide, making it one of Asia’s most earthquake-prone countries. Quakes frequently devastate the east and northeast, where fragile mud-brick homes collapse easily and rescue efforts are slowed by rugged terrain and poor infrastructure.

In October 2023, a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan, killing about 1 500 people and injuring 2,000, according to the UN.

Nurgal, Chawkay and Watapur were the districts of Kunar worst hit by the quake, Bakhtar reported. A spokesman of Taliban government in Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahed, said in on X that the quake caused loss of life and property damage in the eastern provinces, and rescue efforts are underway.

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