Over 800 Dead in Afghanistan Quake Near Pakistan Border
- MediaFx
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
TL;DR: A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border late Sunday night. Reports confirm over 800 killed and nearly 3,000 injured. Villages collapsed, rescue teams are struggling, and survivors are demanding urgent help. Once again, it’s ordinary families who are suffering the most while leaders stay safe.
Eastern Afghanistan was struck by a powerful 6.0 earthquake on Sunday night, leaving mass destruction behind. The tremor hit at 11:47 p.m. local time, with its epicenter near Jalalabad in Nangarhar Province, close to the Pakistan border.
Officials have confirmed that at least 812 people lost their lives and more than 2,835 others were injured. The worst affected was Kunar Province, where mud and stone houses fell apart within seconds. Families were trapped under debris, and survivors are desperately trying to rescue loved ones.
Tremors were felt as far away as Peshawar and Lahore in Pakistan, sending people rushing out of their homes in fear.
Horror on the Ground
Entire villages have been flattened. Survivors describe scenes of roofs collapsing and walls cracking instantly. Poor families, many of them farmers and daily labourers, lost everything—their homes, livestock, and savings.
Rescue teams are struggling. Roads are blocked by landslides, and aftershocks of 4.5 and 5.2 magnitudes have made the situation worse. Helicopters have been moving the injured to hospitals, but medical facilities are overcrowded and running short of medicines. Doctors are working day and night, while families wait anxiously for news.
International Reaction
The United Nations and aid agencies have promised help. Pakistan has offered to send relief across the border. Other countries expressed condolences, but on the ground, little support has actually reached the people in need.
This shows the recurring problem—international promises are often slow, while affected families face hunger, injury, and loss.
Why Early Numbers Were Wrong
Initial media reports said only 20 to 250 deaths. But as information came in from remote mountain villages, the numbers rose sharply. Today, officials confirm more than 800 dead and nearly 3,000 injured.
This tragedy highlights Afghanistan’s poor infrastructure. In rural areas, weak communication and fragile housing always make disasters far worse.
MediaFx People’s Take
Let’s face the truth—ordinary working-class families always pay the heaviest price. Rich elites live in safe, strong homes, but poor people in mud houses are the ones buried when earthquakes strike.
Instead of pouring billions into war and weapons, governments in the region should invest in safe housing, hospitals, and disaster preparedness. Disasters will always happen, but deaths at this scale can be prevented.
Afghanistan doesn’t just need “prayers” from world leaders—it needs real solidarity, faster rescue systems, and long-term rebuilding support.
💬 What do you think? Should global powers do more than just release statements of sympathy? Share your thoughts below.
