Entire villages built with mudbrick homes collapsed, leaving many residents buried under the rubble. Rescue teams have struggled to reach survivors because roads were destroyed by landslides, aftershocks continue to shake the region, and heavy rain has made conditions worse.
Helicopters and ground units have been deployed to evacuate the injured and deliver emergency supplies.
One survivor, Ziaul Haq Mohammadi, a student studying in Jalalabad, described the panic: 'We spent the whole night in fear and anxiety because at any moment another earthquake could happen.'
According to Reuters, the country's health system is overwhelmed. Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for Afghanistan's health ministry, appealed for urgent support.
'We need it because here lots of people lost their lives and houses,' he said.
With limited hospitals and medical supplies, doctors and nurses are struggling to treat the growing number of casualties.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) also raised concerns about the challenges facing rescue teams.
'The area of the earthquake was affected by heavy rain in the last 24â€"48 hours … many of the roads are impassable,' Kate Carey, a UNOCHA officer explained.
She added that aid workers are racing to clear debris and even remove animal carcasses to prevent water contamination, highlighting the multiple risks facing survivors.
The Taliban administration has formally appealed for international aid, stressing that Afghanistan cannot handle this crisis alone.
Humanitarian funding for the country has already dropped sharply in recent years, making the situation even more dire. Several countries have pledged support, with India sending tents and food supplies and China promising to provide additional assistance.
This earthquake is one of the deadliest to strike Afghanistan in recent years. With thousands displaced and entire villages destroyed, survivors now face a second crisis of hunger and disease.
Rania Umutoni
