The death toll from the powerful earthquake in Afghanistan has risen to 1,411, according to Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.
In a post on X, he said the worst devastation occurred in Kunar province, where at least 3,124 people have been injured and more than 5,400 homes have collapsed.
Rescue efforts are still underway to locate the missing after the magnitude 6.0 quake. However, responders are facing major challenges in the remote mountainous region, where roads have been destroyed and mobile networks disrupted.
Earthquakes are frequent in Afghanistan, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet.
UN Warning
Indrika Ratwatte, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator, warned that the casualty figures are expected to rise further.
He noted that widespread landslides and falling rocks during the first 24 hours have made it extremely difficult to access affected areas, with entry restricted for everyone.
Source: Al Jazeera
