The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday has risen to 900, with more than 3,000 people injured, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Rescue operations are underway across remote mountainous areas, where entire villages have been flattened.
Yousaf Hammad, spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Authority, said the figures could rise further as more victims are discovered.
“The injured are being evacuated, so these numbers may change significantly,” he told this news wire.
The 6.0-magnitude quake triggered landslides that blocked key roads, slowing relief operations.
Authorities have reopened several routes, while efforts continue to clear access to the most isolated areas.
Helicopters are being deployed to airlift the injured, and aid workers are trekking on foot to reach communities cut off by the rugged terrain and damaged roads.
Kunar province recorded the highest number of casualties. Most homes in the region—built with mud and timber—collapsed under the force of the quake, leaving many people trapped under debris.
The Taliban administration has appealed for international assistance.
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The UK has pledged £1 million (USD 1.3 million) for humanitarian agencies, while China and other nations have also offered disaster relief.
This is Afghanistan’s third major earthquake since the Taliban takeover in 2021, compounding an already dire humanitarian crisis marked by aid cuts, economic hardship, and mass deportations from neighbouring countries.
Aid groups warn that the disaster could push more than 250,000 people into acute need.
“Without immediate resources, families will be left without shelter, clean water, or food, leading to malnutrition and disease in a healthcare system that is already overstretched,” said Mark Calder of World Vision Afghanistan.
