KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A powerful and catastrophic earthquake struck the eastern province of Kunar in Afghanistan on the night of August 31, unleashing widespread destruction and causing a major humanitarian disaster. The death toll is rising continuously as rescue efforts press on, with current reports indicating that more than 800 people have been killed and at least 2,700 others have been injured.\
The earthquake, which struck the mountainous region near the border with Pakistan, has left a scene of utter devastation. Authorities report that the sheer force of the tremor has completely wiped entire villages off the map, reducing homes and community structures to rubble. The scale of the destruction suggests the final casualty count could climb significantly higher as emergency teams reach more remote and heavily impacted areas.
Urgent rescue operations are now underway, with emergency workers and local volunteers racing against time to search for survivors trapped beneath the debris. The remote and rugged terrain of Kunar province is presenting significant challenges to the rescue efforts, complicating the delivery of heavy machinery, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid.
Hospitals in the region are overwhelmed with the influx of casualties, and medical staff are struggling to treat the vast number of injured with limited resources. The disaster compounds the already dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, which has been grappling with economic crisis and political instability.
Officials are making urgent appeals for international assistance to support the search-and-rescue missions and provide emergency relief, including shelter, food, and medical care for the thousands who have lost their homes and loved ones in this tragic event.
