Afghanistan Earthquake: Death Toll Climbs to 1,457 as Aid Struggles to Reach Remote Kunar Villages

The death toll from the devastating earthquake that struck Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province has climbed to 1,457, Taliban officials confirmed on Thursday, four days after the disaster. At least 3,394 people have been injured, while more than 6,782 homes have been destroyed across Kunar and neighbouring Nangarhar.

Rescue workers continue to search through collapsed homes and mosques, pulling bodies from beneath the rubble. Officials warned that the numbers could rise further as recovery teams reach more isolated villages. Thousands of survivors are now facing shortages of food, water, shelter, and medical supplies in some of Afghanistan’s most difficult-to-reach mountainous areas.

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban, said specialized rescue teams from several countries had joined local efforts, and that some roads to remote districts had been reopened. However, residents and aid workers dispute these claims, stressing that relief is still slow and uneven. “Entire villages remain cut off, and many families have received nothing but promises,” one local elder told reporters.

International humanitarian organizations are scaling up assistance. The Red Cross, World Food Programme (WFP), and World Health Organization (WHO) are working with local authorities to provide tents, blankets, food, and emergency medical care. Aid shipments from Turkey, Iran, India, UAE and Japan have already arrived in Kabul, carrying relief items ranging from medicines and water purification kits to temporary shelters. The United Arab Emirates has also dispatched search-and-rescue teams, while Qatar and Saudi Arabia pledged further support.

Despite these efforts, the terrain and damaged infrastructure continue to pose major challenges. Blocked roads, landslides, and narrow mountain passes are slowing the delivery of supplies to areas where people are most in need. Relief agencies warn that time is running out as survivors, many of them children, risk exposure to hunger, disease, and cold nights without shelter.

The earthquake, one of the deadliest Afghanistan has experienced in decades, has once again highlighted the country’s fragile infrastructure and limited disaster response capacity. The disaster comes at a time when Afghanistan is already grappling with a deep economic crisis, ongoing sanctions, and a struggling health care system.

Humanitarian experts emphasize that immediate relief must be paired with long-term recovery planning. Rebuilding homes, restoring schools and clinics, and ensuring food security will require sustained global support long after the emergency phase ends. Without it, they warn, the affected communities of Kunar and Nangarhar could face years of hardship and instability.

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