20 dead, but authorities fear increase as earthquake hits Afghanistan. Image: Baba Banaras shared via X.
(The Post News) – A powerful magnitude 6.0 earthquake has struck eastern Afghanistan at a shallow depth of just 8 km (6 miles), leaving more than 800 people dead and more than 2,500 injured.
According to the Taliban government officials, the earthquake struck Kunar and Nangarhar provinces around midnight on Monday, 01 September 2025, causing widespread destruction across multiple districts in the mountainous areas.
Moreover, there was a second earthquake that occurred 20 minutes later; a 4.5 magnitude aftershock struck near Basawul in Nangarhar. The quake was also felt across large parts of neighboring Pakistan, including the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces. This was later followed by a 5.2 earthquake at the same depth.
“The quake shook buildings as far as Kabul and even Islamabad, more than 300 kilometers away. In the Sawkai district of Kunar province alone, more than 20 people have lost their lives and 35 are injured in one village, where residents are still pulling bodies from the rubble,” officials from the Taliban government said.
Helicopters Deployed Amid Afghanistan Earthquake Recoveries
Preliminary investigations report that at least four helicopters carrying medical staff landed in the Mazar Valley of Kunar province early this morning, the area worst hit by the quake, where landslides have blocked key roads. Officials said the teams will begin treating the wounded on-site, while the critically injured will be airlifted to Kabul or nearby hospitals.
Health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman stated in the statement that three villages were “completely destroyed and suffered heavy damage.” “Some of the injured have been evacuated, and victims trapped under collapsed houses have been recovered,” said Zaman.
Zaman, highlighting that figures are likely to rise as investigations continue, stated that their crews are still on the ground despite the number of dead and injured probably being higher due to the area’s poor communication and access. They will release the precise numbers to the public as soon as they are gathered.
The report indicates that this earthquake is another cruel shock for the people of Afghanistan, already reeling under floods, severe drought, and aid cuts.
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