Afghanistan earthquake toll rises to more than 1,400: govt spokesman

Tuesday September 02, 2025
By TheNewsDESK |

Death toll from the devastating earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday night has climbed to 1,411, according to the Afghan Red Crescent charity.

A desperate search for survivors is on after the magnitude 6.0 earthquake left thousands of others wounded, with most victims in Kunar province.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says at least 1,411 people have been killed in Kunar province, the hardest hit by the magnitude 6.0 earthquake.

In a post on X, he said at least 3,124 others were injured while more than 5,400 houses were destroyed.

Afghanistan is situated in one of the most active seismic zones on Earth, with the Hindu Kush mountain range being a hotspot for both shallow and deep earthquakes.

This area is highly active due to the tectonic collision between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate.

This immense pressure crumples and fractures the crust, while in the Hindu Kush it also drives parts of the lithosphere to sink steeply into the mantle.

As a result, the Pamir-Hindu Kush region of northern Afghanistan witnesses intense earthquakes, reaching depths of up to 200km (124 miles) – a rare phenomenon globally.

In contrast, along the Sulaiman Range (western Pakistan and southeastern Afghanistan) and near the Main Pamir Thrust, earthquakes are typically shallow and destructive, striking closer to the surface where they cause the most damage.