Death toll from powerful Afghan quake tops 2,200, search for survivors continues

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman of the interim administration, said on the US social media company X that the death toll rose to 2,205, while the number of injured hit 3,640, in just the Kunar province.

"With many people still trapped under the rubble, the death toll could rise further as search operations for survivors continue," Rahimullah Hamzala, spokesman for local security forces in the Kunar province, earlier said.

Authorities in Kabul also fear that the death toll may climb as they share data from the provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, and Panjshir, which were also hit.

At least 12 deaths have already been reported in Nangarhar.

Humanitarian agencies warn that the scale of devastation requires urgent international support to prevent a worsening crisis.

Türkiye this week dispatched 25 tons of aid to the country, including shelter materials, hygiene kits, and food boxes.

Neighboring Pakistan has also sent 105 tons of aid, while Iran, China, and India, as well as Western nations, have pledged to dispatch help.

The US Geological Survey recorded the quake at 11.47 pm local time (1917GMT), 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) east-northeast of Jalalabad at a depth of 8 km (5 mi) on Sunday night, when most residents were asleep.

It is the third major earthquake to have hit the war-torn nation since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.