Afghanistan Earthquake Death Toll Surpasses 2,200 as Survivors Face Harsh Conditions

Rescue teams continued to search through the rubble on Thursday following a series of devastating earthquakes in eastern Afghanistan, as the confirmed death toll rose above 2,200. With thousands injured and thousands more left without shelter, aid organizations warned of dwindling supplies and a deepening humanitarian crisis.

According to the Taliban government, ongoing recovery efforts in the mountainous regions of Kunar and Nangarhar provinces have uncovered 2,205 fatalities and at least 3,640 injuries. Survivors, now displaced and grieving, face dire living conditions.

“We’ve lost everything,” said Aalem Jan, a resident of Kunar whose home was completely destroyed. “All we have left are the clothes we’re wearing.” Jan and his family were seen sitting under trees, their few salvaged belongings stacked nearby.

The disaster began Sunday when a 6.0 magnitude quake, one of the most destructive in Afghanistan in recent years, struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), leveling homes and infrastructure. A second quake, registering 5.5 magnitude, followed on Tuesday, triggering landslides and hampering rescue operations by cutting off access to remote villages.

Authorities estimate that over 6,700 homes have been reduced to rubble. The United Nations cautioned that the death toll may still climb, as many remain trapped beneath debris and the critical window for saving lives narrows.
The humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, up to 84,000 people have been impacted, with thousands displaced. Islamic Relief Worldwide, a UK-based charity, reported that in some areas of Kunar province, two-thirds of residents were either killed or injured, and nearly all buildings were damaged or destroyed.

Survivors are continuing to dig through the debris by hand in search of relatives, using rudimentary tools like pickaxes and transporting bodies on makeshift stretchers. Footage from the region shows aid trucks carrying food supplies and equipment attempting to reach isolated highland villages, while commandos were airdropped into zones where helicopters couldn’t land.
Afghanistan lies in a seismically active region, especially around the Hindu Kush, where tectonic activity between the Indian and Eurasian plates frequently triggers deadly quakes. Most homes in the area are built from stone, timber, and dry masonry, materials that offer little protection, especially following heavy rains that have left the ground unstable.

Even as aftershocks continue, many families prefer to stay outside rather than risk returning to structurally compromised homes.

Relief operations face significant obstacles in a country already suffering from decades of conflict, widespread poverty, and declining international aid. Cold weather conditions further complicate the emergency response.

The situation is made worse by geopolitical factors. Funding for aid has dwindled since U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration slashed foreign
assistance. At the same time, international donors have expressed frustration with the Taliban’s restrictive policies, particularly those affecting women and humanitarian workers.

The World Health Organization has identified a $3 million funding shortfall needed to maintain supplies of medicines, trauma kits, and essential goods. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme said it only has enough resources to assist survivors for another month, according to its country director, John Aylieff.

Jacopo Caridi from the Norwegian Refugee Council urged the global community to look beyond short-term aid.

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