Kabul, August 31, 2025 — A powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Saturday night, killing at least 812 people and injuring over 2,800, according to local authorities.
The magnitude 6.0 quake hit around 11:47 p.m. local time and was centered near the border provinces of Nangarhar and Kunar, causing widespread destruction in remote mountainous regions. The tremors were felt as far away as Kabul and Peshawar, Pakistan.
Dozens of villages were reportedly flattened. Homes made of mud bricks collapsed instantly, trapping families under rubble. Survivors described chaotic scenes as aftershocks continued into the early morning, hampering rescue efforts.
Local officials and Taliban authorities have launched emergency response operations, while international humanitarian organizations are coordinating aid. Helicopters were dispatched to airlift victims from hard-to-reach areas, and mobile medical units have been deployed to treat the injured.
The Afghan government has appealed for global assistance, citing a lack of resources to cope with the scale of the disaster. The United Nations and Red Crescent have already begun mobilizing support.
Afghanistan lies along a seismically active fault zone near the Hindu Kush mountains. The region is frequently hit by strong earthquakes, but Saturday’s quake is one of the deadliest in recent years.
This disaster follows a string of fatal quakes in Afghanistan, including the 2023 Herat earthquake that claimed over 1,400 lives, and a 2022 quake in Paktika province that killed more than 1,000 people.
Authorities warn the death toll could rise as rescue teams reach more isolated communities.
