Deadly 6.0 earthquake rocks Afghanistan; At least 9 killed, including 2 children

A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday (Aug 31), killing at least two children and injuring more than a dozen others, local officials said. The death toll may be higher, Reuters, citing Ajmal Darwaish, spokesperson for the Nangarhar province’s health department, reports that at least nine people were killed and 25 were injured.

What happened?

The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake struck at 11:47 pm local time (1917 GMT), with its epicentre about 27 kilometres northeast of Jalalabad in Nangarhar Province. The tremors originated at a shallow depth of eight kilometres, amplifying their impact. Just 20 minutes later, a 4.5 magnitude earthquake hit the same region, according to USGS. It was then followed by another aftershock, this one of 5.2 magnitude. Both the aftershocks happened at a depth of 10km (6.21 miles).

Provincial authorities said the two children died when the roof of their home collapsed. At least 15 others were injured, with damage reported across several districts.

The quake was felt hundreds of kilometres away, shaking buildings in Kabul and even Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, which is around 370 kilometres from the epicentre, according to AFP.

Taliban confirms human casualties

On X, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, "Sadly, tonight's earthquake has caused loss of life and property damage in some of our eastern provinces." He added that "Local officials and residents are currently engaged in rescue efforts for the affected people. Support teams from the center and nearby provinces are also on their way, and all available resources will be utilised to save lives."

An orange alert has been issued by the USGS PAGER system, which predicts economic and human loss after earthquakes. It said that "Significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread. Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response".

Earthquakes are common in Afghanistan, particularly near the Hindu Kush mountains where major tectonic plates converge. The country's vulnerability is worsened by poor infrastructure, which often leads to high casualties during strong tremors.

The disaster came just a day after flash floods in Nangarhar killed five people and destroyed farmland and property, piling further strain on local communities.