A powerful 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Afghanistan on Thursday, raising fears of extensive destruction. This is the third quake to hit the same region since last Sunday.
The first earthquake on Sunday claimed the lives of more than 2,200 people, followed by another tremor on Tuesday that caused further devastation. Thursday’s quake once again triggered panic among residents already struggling with loss and destruction.
According to the German Research Center for Geosciences, the epicenter of the latest quake was in Shiwa district of Nangarhar province, near the Pakistan border, at a depth of 10 kilometers. Nangarhar’s health department spokesman, Naqibullah Rahimi, said preliminary reports of damage were received from the Barkashkot area, though details are still being collected.
Earlier tremors in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces had flattened hundreds of villages, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless and injuring at least 3,600 people. Rescue workers on Thursday continued to recover bodies from the rubble. The official death toll has now risen to 2,205, while injuries have climbed to 3,640.
The United Nations and international relief agencies have warned that food, medicine, and shelter supplies are rapidly running out, creating a looming humanitarian crisis for displaced families.
Alem Jan, a resident of Kunar province, described the desperate situation: “Everything we had is gone. Now we only have the clothes on our backs. My family is living under a tree, with just a few belongings piled beside us.”
Sunday’s 6.0-magnitude quake is already considered one of the deadliest natural disasters in Afghanistan in recent years. On Tuesday, a 5.5-magnitude aftershock triggered rockslides that blocked mountain roads and disrupted rescue operations. Thursday’s fresh tremor has once again plunged the country into fear and suffering.
