A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late on Monday night, killing at least 622 people and injuring more than 1,300, according to officials.
The quake hit at 11:47 pm local time (1917 GMT), about 27 km east-northeast of Jalalabad, a city of nearly 200,000 people, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported. It was followed by at least three aftershocks, adding to the damage.
Areas Hit Hardest
Tremors were felt across several districts, including Nur Gul, Soki, Watpur, Manogi, and Chapadare, and also in parts of neighboring Pakistan.
Kunar province reported the highest number of casualties.
Nangarhar province confirmed at least nine deaths.
Government & Rescue Response
Afghanistan’s Health Minister Sharafat Zaman said rescue teams are still working in remote and hard-to-reach areas, and the death toll is expected to rise further.
“The number of casualties and injuries is high, but since the area is difficult to access, our teams are still on site,” Zaman said.
⚠About 500 people died, over 1 thousand were injured in the #earthquake in #Afghanistan - RTA TV channel
— News.Az (@news_az) September 1, 2025
According to the US Geological Survey, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 occurred in the area of the city of #Jalalabad, not far from the border with Pakistan.
A… pic.twitter.com/JxA7GtafRe
Najibullah Hanif, provincial information head of Kunar, said hundreds of injured were rushed to hospitals, many in critical condition.
Massive Destruction
The quake struck at a shallow depth of 8–10 km, collapsing mud and stone houses in mountainous border regions with Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Entire villages have been flattened, leaving families trapped under rubble.
Emergency teams and locals are racing against time to search for survivors amid destroyed homes and blocked roads.
❗️🇦🇫 - On August 31, 2025, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Kunar Province, Afghanistan, near Pakistan, killing at least 250 and injuring over 500, per Bakhtar News Agency.
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) September 1, 2025
Centered 27 km east-northeast of Jalalabad at a shallow 8 km depth, the quake caused severe damage in… pic.twitter.com/CQABKwbOkv