A devastating earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan overnight, resulting in the deaths of at least 622 people and injuries to more than 1,500 others, Afghan authorities reported on September 1, 2025. The Afghan Ministry of Interior’s spokesperson, Abdul Mateen Qani, confirmed the tragedy, as rescue operations continue in the hardest-hit region.
The earthquake, registering a magnitude of 6.0, was centered just eight kilometers deep in Nangarhar province, according to the US Geological Survey. The initial quake was followed by at least five aftershocks, the largest of which measured 5.2 on the Richter scale. This province has borne the brunt of the devastation, prompting the Taliban-led government to dispatch rescue helicopters to the area.
Afghanistan, frequently affected by earthquakes due to its position near the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, has experienced such disasters before. In 2023, a seismic event in Herat claimed over 1,500 lives and destroyed more than 63,000 homes.
This latest earthquake was so powerful that residents in Kabul and as far away as Islamabad, Pakistan, located 370 kilometers from the quake’s epicenter, reported feeling the tremors. The disaster follows recent flash floods in Nangarhar that killed five people and caused widespread damage to both residential and agricultural regions.
The Afghan government warns that casualty figures may rise as search and rescue efforts continue in remote and rugged areas, with significant destruction reported in Kunar province.
The UN’s mission in Afghanistan expressed deep sorrow over the deadly quake, pledging emergency aid as the country grapples with severe humanitarian aid cuts. Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries globally, remains heavily reliant on international support. The World Bank reports that nearly half of the Afghan population lives in poverty, underscoring the immense challenges the nation faces amid ongoing crises.
