Search and rescue operations are underway in eastern Afghanistan after a powerful earthquake late Sunday killed at least 2,205 people and left thousands more injured, a Taliban government spokesman said.
Taliban spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat, who provided the updated casualty figures, said rescue and search efforts were continuing. “Tents have been set up for people, and the delivery of first aid and emergency supplies is ongoing.”
Rahimullah Hamzala, spokesman for local security forces in Kunar province, told the official said on Thursday that the combined number of dead and injured has climbed past 5,000.
“With many people still trapped under the rubble, the death toll could rise further as search operations for survivors continue,” he warned.
Calls for international support
Authorities in Kabul said they are awaiting casualty figures from Nangarhar, Laghman and Panjshir provinces, which were also struck by the quake. At least 12 deaths have already been confirmed in Nangarhar.
Humanitarian agencies say the scale of destruction is overwhelming and have called for urgent international support to prevent a deepening crisis.
Türkiye has dispatched 25 tonnes of aid, including shelter materials, hygiene kits and food, while Pakistan, Iran, China, India and several Western countries have pledged assistance.
The US Geological Survey reported the quake struck at 11:47 pm local time (1917 GMT) about 27 kilometres (16.7 miles) east-northeast of Jalalabad at a shallow depth of 8 kilometres (5 miles). Most residents were asleep when it hit.
This marks the third major earthquake to hit Afghanistan since the Taliban regained power in 2021, compounding the country’s humanitarian challenges.
