Afghanistan quake kills at least 622; epicentre near Jalalabad, widespread damage reported

Kabul, September 1, 2025: At least 622 people have been killed after a magnitude-6.0 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan near Jalalabad late Sunday night, according to figures relayed by Reuters via the Taliban-run interior ministry. The toll is expected to rise as rescuers reach remote mountain villages in Nangarhar and neighbouring Kunar two of the worst-hit provinces amid reports of collapsed homes and landslides blocking key roads.

USGS data indicate the quake was centred roughly 14 km southeast of Jalalabad at a shallow depth of about 8 km, a profile that amplifies shaking and structural damage. Several aftershocks including events around magnitude 5.2 were recorded through the night, and tremors were felt across Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces.

Local hospitals have reported a surge of casualties, with more than 1,500 injured, as emergency teams and volunteers dig through rubble in low-rise mud-brick neighbourhoods particularly vulnerable to seismic shocks. Communications remain patchy in outlying districts, complicating casualty assessments and relief logistics.

Authorities said search-and-rescue operations are ongoing, backed by Afghan Red Crescent teams and international agencies mobilising shelter, medical supplies, and food. The quake follows a series of lethal seismic events in the country in recent years and comes amid strained disaster-response capacity and reduced humanitarian funding.

Officials cautioned residents to avoid damaged structures due to aftershock risk and to heed local guidance as engineers assess safety of public buildings and bridges. Further updates on casualties and damage are expected as access improves.