WHO Reports Rising Death Toll from Devastating Earthquake in Eastern Afghanistan
Four days after a destructive 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the eastern Afghan provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, Laghman, and Nuristan, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new report highlighting increasing casualties and widespread damage in the affected areas.
According to the report, more than 1,400 people have died and over 3,300 others have been injured. At least 6,700 homes have been completely destroyed. As search efforts continue in remote areas, these figures may rise further.
The districts of Chawkay, Nurgal, Dara-i-Pech, and Wata Pur in Kunar province are among the hardest hit. Challenging geography, landslides, blocked roads, and recent rainfall have severely hindered the access of relief teams.
Humanitarian partners have intensified their aid efforts, yet many survivors in remote villages remain trapped under debris, with dwindling hope of finding anyone alive.
Thousands of families have lost their homes and are now sheltering in temporary accommodations, while ongoing aftershocks threaten their safety. Local healthcare centers face shortages of specialized equipment, essential medicines, and personnel.
This disaster coincides with fragile health infrastructure, widespread poverty, food insecurity, and the recent return of tens of thousands of people from Pakistan, which has strained the capacity of relief efforts and heightened the risk of secondary crises such as disease outbreaks.
In response, WHO, in coordination with humanitarian organizations, has deployed mobile health and psychosocial teams and sent medical supplies to provide immediate relief. However, severe funding shortfalls threaten the continuation of these programs. More than $4 million in urgently needed funds remains unmet, making rapid international support critical to prevent the disaster from worsening.
