Local officials report a tragic escalation following the powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday night.

The confirmed death toll now exceeds 800, with more than 2,500 injured, the majority of casualties occurring in mountainous Kunar province.

Some of the hardest-hit areas include the Mazar Valley in Noor Gul (Nurgal) district, where entire villages have been levelled. Overwhelmed survivors are digging by hand through debris, searching desperately for loved ones trapped beneath collapsed mud-brick homes.

Rescue efforts are intensifying with four helicopters deployed to airlift injured individuals to medical centers, while ground ambulances assist evacuation where possible. However, rescue and relief operations are severely hindered by landslides blocking roads in the region.

Afghan defense officials reported that over 400 injured and deceased individuals have already been transported via special flights, and the United Nations has joined in providing emergency humanitarian assistance.

With Kunar’s infrastructure devastated and remote communities cut off, local authorities are desperately appealing for immediate international aid and support to bolster rescue and recovery efforts. (ILKHA)