Rescuers Search for Survivors After Afghan Earthquake Kills 800

Rescuers are urgently searching for survivors in eastern Afghanistan following a devastating earthquake that struck on March 10, 2024, resulting in over 800 fatalities. The earthquake, which registered a magnitude of 6.0, hit rural areas in the mountainous provinces close to the Pakistan border around midnight. This was followed by at least five aftershocks, complicating rescue efforts.

The head of the Kunar Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Ehsanullah Ehsan, reported that rescue operations continued throughout the night as teams worked tirelessly to locate any remaining survivors. Many injured individuals are still trapped in remote villages, awaiting evacuation to medical facilities. Local villagers have joined the efforts, using their bare hands to clear the rubble of simple mud and stone homes that collapsed during the quake.

Witnesses recounted the harrowing scene, with villagers wrapping the deceased, including children, in white shrouds and praying over their bodies before burial. Some of the hardest-hit areas remain unreachable due to blocked roads, according to information from the UN migration agency.

The earthquake’s epicentre was determined to be approximately 27 kilometres (17 miles) from Jalalabad, at a depth of 8 kilometres beneath the Earth’s surface, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Afghanistan, one of the poorest nations globally, has been grappling with a prolonged humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by decades of conflict and the recent influx of millions of returnees from Pakistan and Iran.

Since the Taliban assumed control in August 2021, international aid has sharply declined, hindering the country’s ability to manage emergencies effectively. The United States was the largest donor until early 2025, when most funding was withdrawn after a change in administration. In June 2024, the United Nations announced significant cuts to its humanitarian aid efforts due to lack of funding.

On March 11, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated the organization was working with local authorities to assess needs and mobilize additional support, announcing an initial fund of $5 million for emergency relief.

The Taliban has reported that the earthquake has resulted in 800 deaths and 2,500 injuries in Kunar Province alone, with additional casualties reported in Nangarhar and Laghman provinces. The relatively shallow depth of the quake likely contributed to the extensive damage, particularly given that many Afghans live in low-rise, mud-brick homes susceptible to collapse.

Residents in the affected villages included many of the over four million Afghans who have returned from abroad in recent years. “There is a lot of fear and tension… Children and women were screaming. We had never experienced anything like this in our lives,” said Ijaz Ulhaq Yaad, a member of the agricultural department in Nurgal.

In a statement shared by the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV expressed deep sorrow over the significant loss of life resulting from the earthquake. Afghanistan is no stranger to seismic activity, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Eurasia and India tectonic plates converge. In October 2023, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake devastated western Herat Province, killing over 1,500 people and damaging more than 63,000 homes. Additionally, a 5.9-magnitude quake in June 2022 in the eastern province of Paktika resulted in over 1,000 deaths and left tens of thousands homeless.

As rescue efforts continue, the international community watches closely, hoping for swift assistance and recovery for those affected by this latest tragedy.