Mon Sep 01 08:57:20 UTC 2025: ## News Article: Hundreds Dead, Thousands Wounded as Powerful Earthquake Strikes Eastern Afghanistan
**Kabul, Afghanistan** – A devastating earthquake has struck Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming the lives of over 800 people, with more than 2,500 reported injured. The magnitude 6 quake, which hit around midnight Sunday (19:30 GMT), flattened villages and triggered urgent rescue operations.
“The earthquake destroyed several villages,” said Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman, underscoring the scale of the disaster. Interior Ministry spokesman Mufti Abdul Mateen confirmed the grim toll, stating that at least 600 people perished in Kunar and 12 in neighboring Nangarhar.
Afghanistan’s vulnerability to earthquakes stems from its location in a highly active seismic zone where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. The country’s mountainous terrain further exacerbates the impact of these tremors.
This latest disaster follows a series of deadly earthquakes that have plagued Afghanistan in recent years. Just last October, three powerful quakes rocked Herat province, claiming over 2,445 lives. Other significant earthquakes include:
* **March 2023:** A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Badakhshan province, killing at least 13.
* **February 2023:** Twin earthquakes in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces killed at least eight.
* **June 2022:** A magnitude 6.1 earthquake devastated eastern provinces, resulting in over 1,000 fatalities.
* **January 2022:** A magnitude 5.3 earthquake in Badghis province killed at least 26.
* **October 2015:** A magnitude 7.5 earthquake near the Hindu Kush region killed 117 in Afghanistan and 272 in Pakistan.
The recurring seismic activity underscores the urgent need for improved infrastructure and disaster preparedness in Afghanistan. Rescue efforts are currently underway in Kunar, as authorities struggle to reach remote villages and provide assistance to those affected by this latest tragedy.
First Piper 