At least 600 people have been killed and some 2,000 injured after a strong 6.0 magnitude earthquake and several aftershocks shook eastern Afghanistan on Sunday night, official sources said Monday.
“In the districts of Nurgal, Sawkay, Watapur, Dara Pech and Chapi Dara, approximately 600 people have died, some 2,000 were injured and hundreds of homes were destroyed,” Ihsanullah Ihsan, director of Information and Culture in Kunar, one of the affected provinces, told EFE.
Earthquake in Afghanistan leaves deadly toll
BREAKING: The death toll from the earthquake in Afghanistan has risen to 509, with more than 1,000 people injured. pic.twitter.com/a3qCk58KWf
– Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) September 1, 2025
The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) placed the epicenter of the main 6.0-magnitude quake 27 kilometers east of Nangarhar province and at a depth of eight kilometers, which tends to amplify the destructive power.
The initial Afghanistan earthquake, recorded at 23:47 Sunday local time (19:17 GMT), was followed by at least two aftershocks of magnitude 5.2.
Rescue teams have been working since early morning to locate survivors in the rubble.
Although operations are hampered by landslides, which have blocked key roads in Kunar and Nuristan.
Authorities fear that the toll will increase as more remote areas are accessed.
The earthquakes were strongly felt in the eastern provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, Nuristan and Laghman, and the shaking also reached Kabul, the capital.
Taliban confirm deaths and damage
The Taliban recognized the magnitude of the disaster.
“Unfortunately, tonight’s earthquake has caused deaths and material damage in some of our eastern provinces,” the spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, wrote on the X social network.
“Local officials and residents are currently involved in rescue efforts. Support teams from the center and nearby provinces are also on their way, and all available resources will be used to save lives,” he added.
In Nuristan, authorities confirmed that residents experienced strong shaking, but assured that so far no casualties or material damage have been reported.
“Strong tremors were also felt in the province, but so far no reports of human or material losses have been received,” Nuristan’s director of Information and Culture told EFE.
The death and injury toll may rise in the coming hours as rescue efforts progress in the aftermath of the earthquake in Afghanistan.
The province of Kunar, so far the most affected, is located on the border with Pakistan, in the Hindu Kush mountain range.
Poor roads and almost non-existent access to communications in rural areas make damage assessment and aid coordination difficult.
With information from Agencia Efe
