Afghanistan earthquake: Death toll rises to 1,411; over 5,000 homes destroyed

The death toll from an earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has risen to more than 1,400, a Taliban government spokesman said on Tuesday.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said 1,411 people died in Kunar province, the worst-affected area by the 6.0 magnitude earthquake , and 3,124 others were injured. He added on social platform X that over 5,000 homes were destroyed.



The earthquake struck late Sunday night in the mountains, when people were asleep. It destroyed houses and flattened villages, leaving many trapped under rubble. Difficult terrain is slowing down rescue and relief work.
"We cannot afford to forget the people of Afghanistan who are facing multiple crises, multiple shocks, and the resilience of the communities has been saturated," said Indrika Ratwatte, the UN's resident coordinator for Afghanistan.

He called on the international community to act. "These are life and death decisions while we race against time to reach people."

This is the third major earthquake since the Taliban took power in 2021. Afghanistan is already struggling with reduced aid, a weak economy, and the return of millions of people from Iran and Pakistan.