6.0 Magnitude Earthquake Claims Over 250 Lives in Jalalabad
A devastating 6.0 magnitude earthquake rocked eastern Afghanistan near Jalalabad, close to the Pakistan border, late Sunday night, killing over 250 people, stated by BNO News. The tremor, centered in a mountainous region of Nangarhar province, struck around midnight local time, heightening fears of a rising death toll as rescue efforts continue.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported the quake at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), amplifying its destructive impact on the surface. This seismic event follows a deadly earthquake in Afghanistan’s western Herat province in October 2023, where the Taliban administration recorded at least 2,400 fatalities.
The shallow quake caused intense shaking, felt widely across the region, and raised concerns about potential landslides and infrastructure damage in the rugged terrain. Local authorities are scrambling to assess the full scope of destruction, with rescue teams working tirelessly to reach affected communities. Specific details on the extent of structural damage remain limited as efforts focus on saving lives.
Afghanistan’s position near the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet, makes it highly susceptible to earthquakes. These disasters often exacerbate the struggles of communities already burdened by conflict and limited resources. The quake’s timing, in the dead of night, likely caught residents unprepared, potentially worsening the casualty count.
With hundreds initially feared dead, the confirmed death toll of over 250 underscores the tragedy’s severity. The international community is closely watching developments, with calls for immediate disaster relief to aid the impacted areas. The need for premium access to access comprehensive updates and analysis on this ongoing crisis, emphasizing Afghanistan’s vulnerability to seismic events.