Kabul: A devastating earthquake late Sunday night shook eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province, leaving more than 550 people dead and nearly 1000 injured, according to the country’s Information Ministry quoted by Anadolu Agency.
The tremor, measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale, struck shortly after midnight (00:47 IST) with its epicentre 27 km from Jalalabad at a depth of 160 km, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) reported. Strong shocks rippled across Pakistan and northern India, including Delhi-NCR, where residents rushed outdoors as buildings swayed violently.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.3 occurred in Afghanistan at 12.47 IST today: National Centre for Seismology pic.twitter.com/H8qfXeib7J
— ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025
Initial reports varied. BBC cited local officials confirming over 20 deaths and more than 115 people hospitalised in Nangarhar and Kunar. Reuters quoted health officials putting the toll at nine dead. But by Monday morning, Afghan authorities feared the real count could be far higher, with “hundreds” possibly killed or injured, especially in remote areas cut off by landslides.
The main quake was followed by at least four aftershocks — two measuring 5.0, alongside jolts of 4.7 and 4.3. Experts warn that shallow to intermediate quakes like these tend to cause heavier destruction due to their proximity to the surface.
Rescue work has been hampered by blocked roads, with police in Kunar saying aerial assistance is the only way to reach some villages. The Taliban administration has appealed for urgent international aid to cope with the disaster.
Afghanistan, already reeling from years of instability, sits on a fragile seismic belt that has witnessed an alarming surge in tremors in recent years. The latest tragedy underscores the region’s deep geological vulnerability.
Meanwhile, Indian PM Narendra Modi expressed sadness over the loss of lives in the earthquake.
Modi wrote on X: “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the earthquake in Afghanistan. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families in this difficult hour, and we wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”
Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the earthquake in Afghanistan. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families in this difficult hour, and we wish a speedy recovery to the injured. India stands ready to provide all possible humanitarian aid and relief to those…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 1, 2025
He said India stands ready to provide all possible humanitarian aid and relief to those affected by the quake.
Updated : 14:30 IST
