Kabul, – More than 800 people have been killed after a powerful earthquake measuring magnitude 6.0 struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, according to preliminary figures cited by the United Nations humanitarian agency.
The quake hit the remote Kunar province and surrounding mountainous areas, where landslides and blocked roads have severely hampered rescue operations. Helicopters have been deployed in an effort to reach the worst-affected villages.
Officials warned the death toll could climb sharply as many residents are feared to be trapped beneath collapsed homes and buildings. Entire villages have reportedly been destroyed.
The Taliban government issued an appeal for urgent international assistance. In a statement, officials said the scale of destruction exceeded the country’s capacity to respond effectively.
The United Kingdom announced a contribution of £1 million ($1.3 million) to support humanitarian relief efforts. British officials stressed the funds would go directly to aid organizations and “would not pass through Taliban channels.”
Afghanistan is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, with frequent earthquakes due to its location along several fault lines. The latest tragedy comes at a time when Afghanistan is already grappling with economic collapse, international isolation, and a fragile humanitarian situation affecting millions of people.
With hundreds dead and villages flattened, the earthquake in Kunar underscores both Afghanistan’s vulnerability to natural disasters and the urgent need for international cooperation in relief efforts. As rescue operations continue, the full scale of the disaster is expected to emerge in the coming days.