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Afghanistan earthquake: Taliban appeals for international aid as rescue teams search for survivors Afghanistan earthquake: Taliban appeal for aid as death toll rises to 900
(about 1 hour later)
Rescuers searched into the night for people trapped under the debris of simple mud and stone homes built into steep valleys after quake killed 800 Rescuers search into the night for people trapped under debris of mud and stone homes in steep valleys
The Taliban has called for international aid as Afghanistan reels from an earthquake that killed more than 800 people and left thousands injured. The Taliban have called for international aid as Afghanistan reels from an earthquake that killed more than 900 people and left thousands injured.
Rescuers searched into the night for survivors on Monday after the 6.0 magnitude quake struck on Sunday, destroying entire villages across the country’s eastern Kunar province which borders Pakistan. Rescuers searched into the night on Monday for survivors after the 6.0-magnitude quake struck on Sunday destroying entire villages across the country’s eastern Kunar province, which borders Pakistan.
Many remained trapped under the debris of mud and stone homes built into steep valleys but rescuers struggled to reach remote areas due to rough mountainous terrain and inclement weather. It was a shallow earthquake, taking place just six miles beneath the earth’s surface, which is known to have a particularly destructive impact. Many remained trapped under the debris of mud and stone homes built into steep valleys, but rescuers struggled to reach remote areas due to rough mountainous terrain and inclement weather. It was a shallow earthquake, taking place just six miles beneath the earth’s surface, which is known to have a particularly destructive impact.
The quake killed 812 people across the provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, administration spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said. Authorities said they expected casualties to rise further once rescue teams reached more isolated locations, many of which remained inaccessible more than 24 hours after the earthquake struck. Yousaf Hammad, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, said on Tuesday that the death toll had risen to 900, with 3,000 people injured.
Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the health ministry in Kabul, called for international aid to tackle the devastation wrought by the quake that struck at around midnight local time. Authorities said they expected casualties to rise further once rescue teams reached more isolated locations, many of which remained inaccessible more than 24 hours after the earthquake struck.
“We need it because here lots of people lost their lives and houses,” he said. Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the health ministry in Kabul, called for international aid to tackle the devastation wrought by the quake that struck at around midnight local time. “We need it because here lots of people lost their lives and houses,” he said.
The earthquake hit at a time when Afghanistan is already suffering from a severe economic crisis and a crippling withdrawal of international aid, following the takeover of the country by the Taliban in 2021. Hardline Taliban policies, such as a ban on female education and employment, have spurred on a sharp drop in international aid funding and humanitarian assistance to the country. Afghanistan was already suffering from a severe economic crisis and a crippling withdrawal of international aid after the takeover of the country by the Taliban in 2021. Hardline Taliban policies such as a ban on female education and employment have spurred on a sharp drop in international aid funding and humanitarian assistance to the country.
The disaster will further stretch the resources of the war-torn nation’s Taliban administration, which is also grappling with the return of hundreds of thousands of Afghans deported by Iran and Pakistan in recent weeks.The disaster will further stretch the resources of the war-torn nation’s Taliban administration, which is also grappling with the return of hundreds of thousands of Afghans deported by Iran and Pakistan in recent weeks.
The quake razed three villages in Kunar, with substantial damage in many others, authorities said. At least 610 people were killed in Kunar with 12 dead in Nangarhar, they added. The quake razed three villages in Kunar and caused substantial damage in many others, authorities said. At least 610 people were killed in Kunar and there were 12 dead in Nangarhar, they added.
Some villagers sat weeping amid the piled ruins of their homes. Others began laboriously clearing the debris by hand, or carried out the injured on makeshift stretchers.Some villagers sat weeping amid the piled ruins of their homes. Others began laboriously clearing the debris by hand, or carried out the injured on makeshift stretchers.
“This is Mazar Dara in Nurgal district. The entire village has been destroyed,” one victim told reporters. “Children and elders are trapped under the rubble. We need urgent help.“ “This is Mazar Dara in Nurgal district. The entire village has been destroyed,” one victim told reporters. “Children and elders are trapped under the rubble. We need urgent help.”
Another survivor said: “We need ambulances, we need doctors, we need everything to rescue the injured and recover the dead.”Another survivor said: “We need ambulances, we need doctors, we need everything to rescue the injured and recover the dead.”
In Kunar, the dead, some of them children, were wrapped in white shrouds by villagers who prayed over their bodies before burying them, while helicopters ferried the wounded to hospitals.In Kunar, the dead, some of them children, were wrapped in white shrouds by villagers who prayed over their bodies before burying them, while helicopters ferried the wounded to hospitals.
Rescuers were battling to reach remote mountainous areas cut off from mobile networks along the Pakistani border, where mudbrick homes dotting the slopes collapsed in the quake.Rescuers were battling to reach remote mountainous areas cut off from mobile networks along the Pakistani border, where mudbrick homes dotting the slopes collapsed in the quake.
Military rescue teams fanned out across the region, the defence ministry said, with 40 flights carrying away 420 wounded and dead.Military rescue teams fanned out across the region, the defence ministry said, with 40 flights carrying away 420 wounded and dead.
“The area of the earthquake was affected by heavy rain in the last 24 to 48 hours as well, so the risk of landslides and rock slides is also quite significant – that is why many of the roads are impassable,” Kate Carey, an officer at the UN Office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told Reuters. Kate Carey, an officer at the UN Office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told Reuters: “The area of the earthquake was affected by heavy rain in the last 24 to 48 hours as well, so the risk of landslides and rock slides is also quite significant – that is why many of the roads are impassable.”
On Monday, Britain set out emergency funding support for those affected by the recent earthquakes, saying it would ensure that the aid does not go to the South Asian country’s current Taliban administration by channelling it through its partners. On Monday, Britain set out emergency funding support for those affected by the recent earthquakes, saying it would ensure that the aid does not go to the Taliban administration by channelling it through its partners.
A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said it was ready to provide disaster relief assistance “according to Afghanistan’s needs and within its capacity”.A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said it was ready to provide disaster relief assistance “according to Afghanistan’s needs and within its capacity”.
Meanwhile, foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar of India said it had delivered 1,000 family tents to Kabul and was moving 15 tonnes of food material to Kunar, with more relief material to be sent from India starting on Tuesday. India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, said it had delivered 1,000 family tents to Kabul and was moving 15 tonnes of food to Kunar, with more relief material to be sent from India starting on Tuesday.
The US state department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs posted its condolences on X on Monday for the loss of life in the earthquake, but did not immediately respond when asked if the United States would provide any assistance. The US state department posted its condolences on X on Monday for the loss of life in the earthquake but did not immediately respond when asked if the US would provide any assistance.