A magnitude 6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan on Monday, killing at least 500 people and injuring 1,000, according to state media reports.

The quake’s impact was felt in neighboring Pakistan and as far away as India, with several villages completely destroyed and homes made of mud and wood collapsed.

Rescue efforts are underway, with helicopters sent in to evacuate the injured and medical teams arriving in the affected areas.

Sharafat Zaman, a spokesman for the Health Ministry, said, “Rescue operations are still under way, and several villages have been completely destroyed.”

He added that the figures for martyrs and injured are changing, with medical teams from Kunar, Nangarhar, and the capital, Kabul, arriving in the area. Many areas have not been able to report casualty figures, and the numbers are likely to change as deaths and injuries are reported.

The quake affected various towns in the province of Kunar, near the city of Jalalabad in neighboring Nangarhar province. The Kunar Disaster Management Authority said people were affected in the districts of Nur Gul, Soki, Watpur, Manogi, and Chapadare.

Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry has flown 30 doctors and 800kg of medicine into Kunar to support local hospitals overwhelmed with casualties.

Taliban leader Mullah Nooruddin Turab, who heads the State Ministry for National Disaster Management, has also arrived in Kunar to oversee crisis response efforts.

According to Kamal Hyder, reporting from Lahore, Pakistan, “The death toll is likely to mount because the reports are still filtering in from more remote parts, so the full scale of the damage will become evident in the next few hours.” He added that the fact that this was a shallow earthquake, at a depth of just 8km, makes it so destructive.

The area was also recently flooded by heavy rain in Kunar province, with damaged infrastructure and landslides adding another layer of difficulty for rescue teams to reach the area.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake was centered 27km east of Jalalabad city in Nangarhar province at a depth of 8km.

A short while later, another magnitude 4.5 tremor occurred near Basawul in Nangarhar. In October 2023, an earthquake struck western Afghanistan, killing at least 2,400 people.

The earthquake has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, with many people left without access to basic necessities like food, shelter, and healthcare.

The international community has come together to provide aid and support to the affected areas. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to reach remote villages and provide assistance to those in need.

The earthquake has also had a significant impact on Afghanistan’s infrastructure and economy. Many homes, roads, and buildings have been destroyed, disrupting economic activity and leaving many people without access to essential services.

The country’s economy has been struggling in recent years, and this disaster is likely to further exacerbate the situation.

The international community has pledged support and aid to Afghanistan in the wake of the earthquake.

Organizations such as the United Nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are working to provide humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter, and medical care, to those affected by the disaster. The response efforts are being coordinated by the Afghan government, with support from international partners.