Over 800 Dead in Afghanistan Earthquake; India Sends Relief Supplies

A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook eastern Afghanistan late Sunday night, leaving behind scenes of destruction and despair. At least 800 people are confirmed dead in Kunar province alone, while over 2,500 have been injured across the region.

The quake struck just before midnight, its epicentre about 27 kilometres from Jalalabad. Whole villages, built of mud and stone, collapsed in seconds. “We pulled children out of the rubble, but their parents didn’t survive,” said Abdul Rahman, a resident of Watpur, his hands still covered in dust.

Rescuers are working round the clock with little more than shovels and bare hands. Landslides have blocked roads and poor communication has left many cut off. With each passing hour, the hope of finding survivors is fading.

In Nangarhar province, at least 12 people were killed and over 250 injured. Laghman also reported dozens of casualties. “Entire families are gone. The devastation is worse than we can show,” a health worker in Nur Gul district told reporters.

India was among the first to respond, dispatching 1,000 family tents and 15 tonnes of food supplies. “More aid will follow,” External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, adding that he had spoken to Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister to convey condolences.

Meanwhile, Britain announced £1 million in emergency support through the UN and Red Cross, while WHO has deployed medical teams to the worst-hit districts.

For now, the grim task continues- pulling bodies from beneath the rubble, comforting survivors, and waiting for more help. “We are sleeping outside, too afraid to return home,” said Jamila, a mother of three from Chapa Dara. “If the earth shakes again, there will be nothing left.”

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