By Voice of America
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Afghanistan’s remote south-eastern region on Thursday night, marking the third tremor in less than a week as the death toll from earlier quakes continues to climb.
The shallow quake hit at 20:56 local time (15:36 GMT), rattling homes in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces and forcing terrified residents into the open. Although no official death toll has yet been released, medics told the BBC that at least 17 injured people were admitted to Kunar Provincial Hospital following the latest quake.
Rising Death Toll from First Quake
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Sunday’s powerful earthquake has so far killed 1,368 people and injured 2,180 across 25 villages. Relief efforts remain slow as Afghanistan’s mountainous terrain and landslides block access to many affected areas, the Taliban government confirmed.
A second earthquake of magnitude 5.5 struck on Tuesday, temporarily halting rescue operations. Most relief work has been carried out by helicopters due to blocked roads and landslides, while aftershocks continue to shake the region, further complicating recovery efforts.
Taliban Appeals for International Aid
“Rescue and search efforts are still ongoing, tents have been set up for people in various areas, and the delivery of first aid and emergency supplies is ongoing,” said Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban government, in a statement on X.
The Taliban – currently recognised only by Russia – has issued urgent appeals for international support. The UN has already allocated emergency funds, while the UK pledged £1 million ($1.3m) in humanitarian aid.
Afghanistan’s Vulnerability to Earthquakes
Afghanistan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone nations due to its location on the fault lines between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
In 2023, a series of 6.3-magnitude quakes in western Afghanistan, near Herat, killed more than 1,400 people. The year before, a 5.9-magnitude quake struck eastern Afghanistan, leaving at least 1,000 dead and over 3,000 injured.
With three earthquakes in just six days, the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is deepening, as emergency teams race against time to save lives and deliver vital aid to isolated communities.
