Afghanistan Hit by Seismic Pattern of Earthquakes: 5,806 Lives Lost, Over 7,000 Injured in Past 5 Years

By Emmanuel Kwada

A catastrophic 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, claiming at least 1,400 lives and injuring over 3100, adding to a grim tally of seismic disasters that have killed up to 5,806 and injured more than 7,000 across the nation in the past five years.

Centered 27 kilometers northeast of Jalalabad in Nangarhar Province at a shallow depth of 8 kilometers, the quake unleashed widespread destruction in the remote mountainous districts of Kunar and Nangarhar near the Pakistan border, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Earthquake victim hospitalised. Photo Credit:AFP

Reported by Reuters, AFP, and Bloomberg as the deadliest quake in over two years, it has intensified Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, already strained by Taliban rule, economic sanctions, and limited resources.

The quake, which hit at 11:47 p.m. On Sunday, local time, caused mud-brick and stone homes in the rugged Hindu Kush to collapse, trapping families under rubble. Health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman told AFP that initial clinic reports indicated over 400 injured and dozens dead, but blocked roads and landslides have delayed full assessments.

Unfortunately, tonight’s earthquake has caused human casualties and financial damages. Local officials and residents are making all efforts to rescue affected ones, with support teams from the capital en route

“The number of casualties is high, but the area is difficult to access,” Zaman said. Images from Jalalabad show helicopters airlifting the wounded and locals digging through debris, with hospitals overwhelmed by children and families among the hardest hit. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid posted on X: “Unfortunately, tonight’s earthquake has caused human casualties and financial damages. Local officials and residents are making all efforts to rescue affected ones, with support teams from the capital en route.”

🔴 #AfghanistanEarthquake Update: Nearly all villages in Nurgal district, have been flattened. Survivors—especially women & children—urgently need food & clean water.

Despite rough, mountainous roads, WFP is working to deliver high-energy biscuits to those affected. pic.twitter.com/Ykp9JOm2HO

— WFP in Afghanistan (@WFP_Afghanistan) September 2, 2025

The USGS issued an “orange alert,” signaling significant casualties and the need for a regional or national response. Nearly 500,000 people felt strong shaking, devastating in areas with substandard infrastructure.

The number of casualties is high, but the area is difficult to access

Five aftershocks, including a 5.2-magnitude event, have complicated rescue efforts. Tremors reached Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces and Kabul, where resident Ahmad Zameer described intense jolting that drove people into the streets.

Pakistan reported no major casualties, but the event highlights shared risks in the tectonically active Hindu Kush, where the Indian Plate subducts beneath the Eurasian Plate at over 39 mm per year.

Afghanistan’s vulnerability is worsened by decades of conflict, leaving infrastructure in ruins and homes built from fragile adobe. This quake echoes the October 2023 6.3-magnitude Herat Province disaster, which killed 1,500–4,000 and injured over 9,000, exposing gaps in preparedness.

Rescue team digs through rubble in search efforts. Photo Credit:AFP

The United Nations and Afghan Red Crescent have mobilized medical supplies and tents, but a foreign office spokesperson noted no foreign aid offers due to sanctions and Taliban restrictions.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board urged wealthy individuals to assist, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres pledged support. Officials fear the toll may rise as winter looms and remote assessments continue.

Over the past five years (September 2020–2025), Afghanistan has faced around 1,420 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or higher, averaging 284 annually, per USGS and Earthquake List data. Most are deep and less destructive, but eight major events (magnitude 5.5+) have caused significant casualties due to shallow depths and poor construction.

In March 2021, a 5.8-magnitude quake in Badakhshan killed 13. The deadliest, a 6.2-magnitude quake in Paktika in June 2022, claimed 1,052–1,163 lives and injured 1,627–2,976, destroying 10,000 homes. A September 2022 5.9-magnitude quake in Kunar killed 8.

Afghanistan has faced around 1,420 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or higher, averaging 284 annually

In October 2023, Herat’s 6.3-magnitude quakes killed 1,482–4,000 and injured over 2,100, with women and children comprising 90% of deaths. A 6.5-magnitude quake in Badakhshan in March 2023 caused minimal casualties due to its depth.

In August 2025, two 5.1-magnitude quakes in Badakhshan caused no major losses. The current quake adds 622+ deaths and 1,500+ injuries, contributing to a cumulative toll of 3,177–5,806 killed and 5,227–7,000+ injured since 2020. Over 600,000 have been affected in the past decade, with spikes in 2022 and 2023 underscoring the escalating crisis. Experts urge improved building codes, early warning systems, and unrestricted aid to mitigate future losses in this seismically volatile nation.

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