A devastating 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late on Monday, September 1, 2025, at around 11:47 p.m. local time, killing at least 800 people and injuring more than 1,300, according to Afghan authorities. The quake’s epicenter was reported near Jalalabad in Kunar Province at a shallow depth of about 8 to 10 kilometers, a factor that made the tremors far more destructive. The shaking was felt across Kabul and neighboring provinces including Nangarhar, Laghman, Nuristan, and Panjshir, sending residents rushing from their homes in panic as buildings crumbled around them.
Entire villages in the affected region have been reduced to rubble, with rescue teams warning that many families remain trapped under collapsed houses. Hospitals in Kunar, Nangarhar, and Kabul are overwhelmed with a steady stream of patients, some suffering severe crush injuries and fractures, while others wait hours for treatment due to a lack of staff and supplies. Doctors at the provincial hospital in Asadabad said they were admitting one patient every five minutes during the night, underscoring the scale of the disaster. Survivors described terrifying scenes as the tremors tore through their homes. One resident, Hameed Jan from Piran village, said he lost multiple members of his family when his house collapsed, and despite frantic digging, he was unable to save them.
Rescue operations are underway, but progress is slow due to rugged mountain terrain, landslides, and poor infrastructure. Helicopters have been dispatched to reach remote villages, but aid groups say many areas remain inaccessible. In the worst-hit zones, survivors are digging through the rubble with their bare hands in hopes of finding loved ones. Local authorities have appealed to the international community for urgent help, warning that the death toll will likely rise as rescuers reach isolated areas. The Taliban government has called on the United Nations, the Red Crescent, and neighboring countries for immediate assistance in the form of medical supplies, temporary shelters, and rescue equipment.
International aid organizations have begun to mobilize, though access and funding remain significant challenges. The United Nations has pledged to deliver emergency relief, while neighboring countries such as Pakistan and Iran have offered to send rescue teams and humanitarian support. UNICEF and other aid agencies are focusing on providing medical aid, food, tents, and psychological support, particularly for children traumatized by the quake. Relief efforts are further complicated by widespread poverty and ongoing humanitarian crises across Afghanistan, leaving many communities ill-prepared to cope with yet another disaster.
Afghanistan is prone to deadly earthquakes because of its location along several seismic fault lines. In June 2022, a 5.9-magnitude quake in Paktika Province killed more than 1,000 people, while in October 2023, a series of earthquakes in Herat Province left thousands dead and displaced. Monday’s earthquake is already being described as one of the deadliest in recent years and highlights the country’s vulnerability, with many homes made from mud bricks that cannot withstand strong tremors.
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The Taliban government has declared three days of national mourning. Flags have been lowered to half-mast, and funeral prayers are being held across the country as families bury their loved ones in mass graves. With aftershocks expected in the coming days, authorities are urging people to stay away from damaged buildings, while thousands of families spend nights outside in makeshift shelters. As Afghanistan mourns, the immediate challenge remains saving lives, delivering aid to survivors, and preventing the tragedy from spiraling into a larger humanitarian catastrophe.
