Afghanistan Appeals for Aid After Earthquake Kills Over 800
The Taliban has requested international assistance as Afghanistan struggles with the aftermath of a powerful earthquake that claimed more than 800 lives and left thousands injured.
Rescue efforts continued late into Monday after the 6.0 magnitude tremor struck overnight. Many victims remained trapped beneath collapsed homes made of mud and stone in the region’s steep valleys.
Harsh mountainous conditions and severe weather hampered efforts to reach remote villages. The worst damage occurred in Kunar province, near the Pakistani border.
Villagers wrapped the deceased—some of them children—in white cloth, offering prayers before burial, while helicopters transported the injured to nearby medical facilities.
“The walls caved in… killing some children and hurting others,” said Zafar Khan Gojar, 22, who was evacuated from Nurgal to Jalalabad with his brother, who suffered a broken leg.
The disaster places further strain on the Taliban-led government, already contending with numerous crises, including reduced foreign assistance and the forced return of thousands of Afghan refugees from neighboring nations.
Sharafat Zaman, a health ministry representative in Kabul, urged global support to address the widespread destruction caused by the quake, which struck around midnight at a depth of 10 kilometers.
“We need help—so many lives and homes have been lost,” he said.
The earthquake killed 812 people in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, according to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.
Ziaul Haq Mohammadi, a university student in Jalalabad, described the terror of the tremor. “I tried to stand, but it threw me down. We spent the night in fear, waiting for another quake,” he recalled.
Rescuers struggled to reach mountainous areas severed from communication networks, where fragile homes had tumbled down slopes.
“Heavy rainfall increased landslide risks, blocking many roads,” said Kate Carey, a representative from the UN humanitarian coordination office.
Efforts also focused on clearing livestock remains to prevent water contamination, she added.
Officials warned the death toll might rise as teams reach more isolated communities.
“All available teams are working to provide full support, from security to medical aid,” said health ministry spokesperson Abdul Maten Qanee.
Video footage showed helicopters evacuating survivors as local residents aided the rescue effort.
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