September 2, 2025 | 07:12 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The number of casualties from the powerful earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday night has climbed to 1,411 people, according to a government spokesperson.
Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, as reported by Aljazeera on Tuesday, 2 September 2025, said that at least 1,411 people died in Kunar Province, the province hardest hit by the magnitude 6.0 earthquake.
The Afghan Red Crescent reported on Tuesday, as cited by TRT Global , that at least 3,251 people were injured, while the earthquake destroyed over 8,000 houses.
This is the third major earthquake to hit the war-torn country since 2021.
The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the earthquake at 11:47 p.m. local time, located 27 kilometers northeast of Jalalabad at 8-kilometer depth on Sunday night, when most residents were asleep.
Kunar is the worst-hit province, where the earthquake destroyed several villages.
Abdul Ghani, the spokesperson for the interim Afghan government in Kunar Province, said that rescue and aid teams have arrived in the affected areas, and rescue and aid operations are ongoing.
"The number of casualties may increase as many people are still buried under the rubble," he said.
The United Nations (UN) humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan said the number of recorded casualties from the powerful earthquake is expected to rise.
The official also stated that reaching remote areas in the South Asian country is the biggest challenge for rescue teams and aid workers, considering the damaged road conditions.
"There have been numerous landslides and rockfalls, and access is very limited for everyone in the first 24 hours," said Indrika Ratwatte in a press briefing, speaking from the capital, Kabul.
Accounts of the Victims
Obaidullah Stoman, 26, who went to Wadir Village in Kunar Province to look for a friend, said he was struck by the level of devastation.
"I’m searching here, but I didn’t see him. It was very difficult for me to see the conditions here," he said. "There is only rubble left."
Akhlaq, 14, was successfully evacuated to the hospital. However, five members of his family died when the earthquake shook the Nurgal area.
"Our whole house collapsed. My brothers and father were all buried. Only I survived and made it out," he said. "Then I heard my father’s voice, and I managed to rescue him."
"There are victims who are still under the rubble, but there is nobody to help them and pull them out."
UK and India Pledge to Help
The UK has allocated £1 million to support UN and Red Cross efforts in delivering healthcare aid and emergency supplies to the affected people in Afghanistan.
In a statement, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said, "News of the earthquake in the Kunar Province of Afghanistan is truly tragic. The UK remains committed to the people of Afghanistan, and this emergency funding will help our partners to deliver critical healthcare and emergency supplies to the most hard-hit."
Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said India has sent 1,000 family tents to Kabul. They are also transporting 15 tons of food to Kunar, with additional aid materials scheduled to be delivered today.
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