Tragedy In Afghanistan: Taliban Plead For Global Aid As Deadly Quake Kills Over 1,400

Afghanistan has been plunged into fresh despair after a powerful earthquake ripped through the country, killing at least 1,411 people and injuring more than 3,100. Entire villages were flattened, thousands of homes destroyed, and rescue efforts hampered by rain, landslides, and crumbling roads.

The 6.0-magnitude quake struck late Sunday near the Pakistan border, shaking towns and villages across Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, and even sending tremors into neighboring Pakistan. Taliban officials say more than 5,400 homes were reduced to rubble, leaving countless families homeless.

“This disaster has taken lives, destroyed homes, and left survivors in desperate need,” Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Tuesday, appealing for urgent international assistance.

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A Nation Already in Crisis

The quake’s devastation adds to the misery of a country already battling poverty, hunger, and dwindling aid. Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban’s hardline rule has triggered a steep decline in foreign assistance.

Once the lifeline for millions, humanitarian funding has shriveled from $3.8 billion in 2022 to just $767 million in 2025. Earlier this year, Washington froze $1.7 billion in aid contracts, with European partners following suit. Many NGOs, wary of Taliban restrictions on women and ongoing repression, have also pulled out.

“This isn’t the first shock we’ve faced this year,” said Thamindri De Silva of World Vision Afghanistan. “We’re juggling drought, refugee returns, malnutrition, and now another earthquake. Resources are stretched beyond breaking.”

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Where the Quake Hit

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter lay just 27 kilometers northeast of Jalalabad, in a mountainous region notorious for seismic activity. The shallow depth of just 8 kilometers made the tremors especially destructive.

Entire villages in Kunar province were razed, while damage spread across Laghman, Nuristan, and Panjshir provinces. In Kabul, more than 100 miles away, frightened residents rushed into the streets as buildings swayed.

At least five aftershocks followed, one measuring 5.2, worsening the destruction and panic.

This marks the third major quake since 2021, with earlier disasters in Paktika and Herat killing more than 3,000 people combined.

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Heartbreaking Scenes from the Rubble

Nearly half a million people felt severe shaking, the USGS estimates. Survivors described desperate attempts to free loved ones trapped under collapsed homes.

“I was half-buried and couldn’t move,” said Sadiqullah, a resident of Kunar province. “My wife and two sons were killed.”

Images show men digging with shovels through heaps of concrete, while helicopters ferried the injured to hospitals. Rows of brick homes were reduced to muddy debris, leaving entire communities homeless overnight.

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Slow International Response

Despite urgent appeals, global aid has trickled in slowly.

• UAE sent food, medical supplies, tents, and a search-and-rescue team.

• UK pledged £1 million ($1.3m) in emergency support through the UN Population Fund and the Red Cross.

• EU announced €1 million ($1.16m) alongside tents, clothing, and medical aid.

But relief groups warn this is only a fraction of what’s needed. “Body bags, clothing, cooking equipment, and hygiene supplies are urgently required,” said De Silva.

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A Country on the Brink

With more than 43 million Afghans caught in overlapping crises—conflict, poverty, hunger, and natural disasters—the earthquake has pushed the country closer to collapse.

Health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman summed up the desperate reality:
“We need help because so many people have lost their lives, their homes, and their futures.”