Afghanistan quake kills over 600, toll expected to rise as rescue efforts intensify

Kabul, Afghanistan – A devastating 6-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing more than 600 people, according to authorities. Officials warn that the death toll is likely to rise significantly as rescue workers struggle to reach remote, mountainous communities affected by the quake, which also left over 1,300 people injured.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located near Jalalabad, a city of approximately 200,000 people, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Residents of Kabul, less than 100 miles away, fled their homes as aftershocks were felt throughout the night. The earthquake’s shallow depth, just five miles from the earth’s surface, contributed to its destructive power.

Rescue efforts are being hampered by difficult road access in the area’s steep terrain, where landslides have occurred, according to Kate Carey, the deputy head of the United Nations’ office of humanitarian affairs in Afghanistan. At least four eastern provinces, Nangahar, Nuristan, Laghman, and Kunar, have been affected by the earthquake, further complicating the delivery of aid and the search for survivors.