A deadly 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing over 600 people and injuring more than 400. The quake was so powerful that strong tremors were felt across northern India, including the Delhi-NCR region, and several cities in Pakistan, forcing thousands of residents to rush out of their homes in panic.
The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) confirmed that the quake’s epicentre was in southeastern Afghanistan, at a depth of 160 km. The timing of the earthquake – just before midnight – made it even more frightening as people were caught off guard.
Aftershocks across South Asia
The first tremor was followed by multiple aftershocks, including 4.7, 4.3, and two shocks of 5.0 magnitude. This added to the fear in affected areas. People in India and Pakistan spent sleepless nights outdoors, worried about fresh jolts.
د ملي اسلامي اردو څلور الوتکې، چې ۸۰۰ کیلوګرامه درمل او دیرش تنه ډاکټران پکې وو، کونړ ته ورسیدلې.#مليتلویزیون pic.twitter.com/WRfGfVKZ6y
— RTA Pashto (@rtapashto) September 1, 2025
In Afghanistan’s Kunar province, three villages were completely flattened. Najibullah Hanif, head of information in Kunar, said early reports confirmed 250 deaths and around 500 injuries. “Figures from just a few clinics show over 400 injured and dozens of fatalities,” added health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman.
Doctors in local hospitals say many injured are in critical condition. Emergency medical supplies are running short as rescue workers bring in victims from remote areas.
No international help yet
Afghanistan’s fragile infrastructure has made the situation worse. Despite the scale of the disaster, no foreign government has offered official assistance so far. A spokesperson for the Afghan foreign office confirmed, “So far, no foreign governments have reached out to provide support for rescue or relief work.”
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The lack of aid raises fears of higher casualties in the coming days, especially as remote villages remain cut off.
Afghanistan’s dangerous fault line
Afghanistan is located near the meeting point of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it one of the most seismically active areas in Asia. Numerous fatal earthquakes have already struck in the Hindu Kush mountain area.
In October 2023, a series of earthquakes killed thousands across western Afghanistan, with was strongest at 6.3 magnitude.
For millions in India and Pakistan, the tremors were a reminder of how disasters in one country can be felt across borders. In Delhi-NCR and Lahore, videos showed panicked residents running into the streets. The cross-border impact has once again highlighted South Asia’s shared vulnerability to natural disasters.
