Afghanistan Earthquake Death Toll Surpasses 1,400 Amid Rescue Challenges

The death toll from a powerful earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has passed 1,400, with over 3,000 people injured, The Associated Press reported, quoting Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid. The 6.0 magnitude quake, which struck the south Asian country over the weekend, devastated mountainous and remote regions, flattening villages and trapping residents under rubble.

Rescue teams, meanwhile, are scrambling to reach the affected areas. A UN official has warned that the number of casualties is likely to rise sharply.

Rescue Efforts Hampered by Terrain and Building Types

The earthquake hit several Afghan provinces, causing widespread damage.  

Describing the situation as a “race against time”, UN resident coordinator for Afghanistan Indrika Ratwatte told the news agency, “We cannot afford to forget the people of Afghanistan who are facing multiple crises, multiple shocks, and the resilience of the communities has been saturated.”

“If you were to model it based on what has happened before, clearly there’s no question that the casualty rate is going to be rather exponential,” Ratwatte added.

The quake struck at night when most people were asleep, increasing the risk of casualties despite the region’s low population density.

Aid Shortages Worsen Crisis 

Sunday’s earthquake is Afghanistan’s third major seismic disaster since the Taliban took power in 2021. The country is already struggling with deep cuts in aid, a weak economy, and the return of millions of refugees from Iran and Pakistan.

The Taliban government – recognised only by Russia – has appealed for international assistance. However, global aid has been limited due to multiple crises unfolding at the time amid reduced budgets. Withal, several countries oppose the Taliban’s restrictive policies, especially their ban on Afghan girls and women working for NGOs.

Kate Carey, deputy head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Afghanistan, highlighted the impact of funding cuts on healthcare. “More than 420 health facilities had closed or were suspended due to the massive reduction in funding, with 80 of them in the eastern region, the heart of Sunday’s quake,” AP quoted her as saying.

Explaining the consequences, Carey further told the publication, “The remaining facilities are overwhelmed, have insufficient supplies and personnel, and are not as close to the affected populations as the more local facilities at a time when providing emergency trauma care is needed in the first 24 to 72 hours of the earthquake response.”