The Taliban government is appealing for international aid after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake killed more than 1,400 people and injured thousands across Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province.
Entire villages were leveled, with many residents still trapped beneath mud and stone homes built into steep valleys. Rescue efforts have been hampered by rough terrain and bad weather, according to several reports.
The quake struck just six miles below the surface — a shallow depth that amplifies destruction. On Tuesday, a second 5.5-magnitude tremor, also at a shallow depth, shook southeastern Afghanistan, raising fears of further devastation.
Before the second quake, the death toll had climbed to 1,411 with more than 3,000 injured, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Tuesday.
Officials warned the toll was likely to rise as rescuers reached remote areas still cut off more than 24 hours after the first quake. Aseel, a humanitarian tech group with teams on the ground, said the second quake caused more injuries and was likely to push the death toll higher.
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Health ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman urged the international community to send aid to confront the devastation. “We need it because here lots of people lost their lives and houses,” he said.
