Afghanistan Earthquake Devastates Eastern Provinces

Kabul, Sep 1 (AP) In a devastating turn of events, frantic Afghans sifted through debris overnight to locate missing family members after a powerful earthquake claimed approximately 800 lives and left over 2,500 wounded in eastern Afghanistan, as reported by the Taliban government on Monday. The 6.0 magnitude quake struck late Sunday, ravaging towns in Kunar province and near the city of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, inflicting widespread destruction. According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake, which struck at 11:47 pm, was centered 27 kilometers east-northeast of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province at a shallow depth of 8 kilometers. Shallower quakes typically result in greater destruction, and this one was followed by several aftershocks. Video footage depicted rescuers moving injured individuals on stretchers from collapsed structures to helicopters, amidst scenes of people desperately using their hands to dig through the remains. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid informed at a press briefing on Monday that the death toll had escalated to 800, with 2,500 injuries, predominantly in Kunar province. Buildings in Afghanistan, often low-rise and composed of concrete and brick, particularly in rural locales where mud bricks and wood are prevalent, proved vulnerable due to poor construction standards. A resident from Nurgal district in Kunar, one of the hardest-hit areas, recounted the near-total destruction of his village, citing the urgent need for assistance and describing heart-wrenching scenes of children, elderly, and young people trapped under debris. “We need help here,” he urged. "Without external help, there's no way to retrieve the dead from the debris." The eastern Afghanistan region's mountainous and remote terrain compounded communication challenges post-quake. Another survivor shared his harrowing experience of witnessing homes collapsing around him and anguished cries for help. Sadiqullah, from Maza Dara in Nurgal, was jolted awake by what he initially thought was a storm. He managed to rescue three of his children, but as he returned for others, the room collapsed on him, trapping him until rescuers arrived hours later. His wife and two sons perished, while he and his injured father received treatment at Nangarhar Hospital. "It felt like the whole mountain was shaking," he revealed. Rescue missions are ongoing, with medical teams dispatched from Kunar, Nangarhar, and Kabul, according to health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman. Reporting from several areas remains incomplete, and casualty figures are expected to rise as more information arrives. Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid vowed the mobilization of “all available resources” to save lives. Jalalabad, a bustling city due to its proximity to the Pakistan border and known for trade and agriculture, was among affected regions. It supports a significant population with its citrus fruit and rice farming. An earlier magnitude 6.3 earthquake in Afghanistan on October 7, 2023, also resulted in heavy casualties, with the Taliban government reporting at least 4,000 deaths, whereas the UN reported about 1,500, marking it as one of the deadliest natural disasters in Afghanistan's recent history. (AP)

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