812 killed as quake rattles eastern Afghanistan

At least 812 people have been confirmed dead and 2,817 others injured after a powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday night, Afghan interim government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Monday.

The worst devastation was reported in Kunar, where the districts of Nurgal, Suki, Watapur and Chapa Dara accounted for nearly 800 deaths and more than 2,500 injuries. The neighboring province of Nangarhar reported 12 deaths and 255 injuries, while Laghman province recorded 58 injuries and Nuristan four.

PM Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, saying, “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the earthquake in Afghanistan. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families in this difficult hour, and we wish a speedy recovery to the injured. India stands ready to provide all possible humanitarian aid and relief to those affected,” Modi said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he spoke with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, conveying India's solidarity. “India has delivered 1,000 family tents in Kabul today. Fifteen tonnes of food material is also being moved by our Mission from Kabul to Kunar. Further relief consignments will follow from India starting tomorrow,” Jaishankar said.

Afghan officials warned that the casualty figures were preliminary and expected to rise as rescue workers continue to comb through flattened homes and landslide-hit villages. The mountainous terrain and damaged roads had hampered relief efforts, Mujahid said, though emergency teams had been dispatched to the worst-hit zones.

The earthquake struck at 11.47 pm, with its epicentre located 27 km northeast of Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, at a shallow depth of eight km, according to seismological reports.

The Taliban administration has pledged urgent financial aid and appealed to national and international humanitarian groups for assistance, even as relief agencies scramble to provide tents, food and medical supplies to thousands left homeless in the disaster.