A strong earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan late last month has left hundreds of children orphaned, local media reported on Thursday.
Authorities in Kunar province, the hardest-hit by the tremor, have reported that over 600 children are now orphaned as a result of the 6.0 magnitude earthquake, which also claimed the lives of over 2,200 individuals, local Hurriyat Radio reported.
According to the provincial Martyrs and Disabled Department, approximately 200 families have been left without guardians due to the earthquake, leaving around 600 children facing uncertain futures.
Eastern Afghanistan was hit by an earthquake on August 31, killing more than 2,200 people and injuring around 4,000 others, devastating Kunar province.
Deadly earthquakes
A series of aftershocks in early September, including one with a magnitude of 6.2, complicated rescue efforts, triggering landslides and blocking access to several remote districts.
Relief operations remain hampered by poor infrastructure and economic hardship, as aid groups call for urgent international assistance and long-term seismic preparedness.
Afghanistan has suffered a decade of devastating earthquakes, with more than 5,000 deaths recorded since 2015 across fragile provinces.
In June 2022, a magnitude 6.1 quake struck the eastern part of the country, including Nangarhar, killing over 1,000 and injuring thousands in remote areas.
The western province of Herat was hit in October 2023 by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake, leaving more than 1,400 dead and widespread destruction of homes.
Smaller tremors in Kunar and Nangarhar in 2023 caused limited casualties but added to public fears of further deadly shocks.
