Over 1,400 dead in Afghanistan quake; rescue efforts hampered by landslides. India dispatches urgent aid, reaffirming support amid crisis as Taliban appeals for global assistance….reports Asian Lite News
The death toll from the devastating earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday night has surged to 1,411, with more than 3,000 people injured, Afghan officials confirmed on Tuesday. Rescue operations are continuing in the remote, mountainous provinces hardest hit by the magnitude 6.0 tremor, though aid agencies are struggling to reach cut-off areas due to blocked roads, collapsed infrastructure, and disrupted communications.
The quake, which originated in the Kama district of Nangarhar province near the Pakistan border, was felt across eastern Afghanistan and parts of northern Pakistan. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported that four provinces—Kunar, Laghman, Nangarhar, and Nuristan—have borne the brunt of the devastation, with at least 12,000 people directly affected. Entire villages have been reduced to rubble, and aftershocks measuring between 4.0 and 5.0 on the Richter scale have further unsettled survivors and hampered rescue efforts.
India’s urgent assistance
India was among the first countries to respond, extending immediate humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in the wake of the disaster. The Ministry of External Affairs announced on Monday that relief consignments had already been dispatched, including food grains and essential supplies. Photographs shared on X by the ministry showed trucks laden with rice sacks and other food items being prepared for delivery.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a conversation with his Afghan counterpart, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, to convey condolences and outline India’s relief package. “Spoke with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi today. Expressed our condolences at the loss of lives in the earthquake. Conveyed that India has delivered 1,000 family tents today in Kabul. Fifteen tonnes of food material is also being immediately moved by Indian Mission from Kabul to Kunar. Further relief material will be sent from India starting tomorrow. Wish early recovery of those injured. India stands by Afghanistan at this difficult time,” Jaishankar wrote on X.
On Tuesday, Jaishankar confirmed that a second consignment of 21 tonnes of relief material had arrived in Kabul by air. This shipment included blankets, tents, hygiene kits, medical consumables, wheelchairs, water purification tablets, sleeping bags, generators, and portable water purifiers. “India will continue to monitor the ground situation and send more humanitarian aid over the coming days,” he stated.
Struggles on the ground
Despite the arrival of international aid, rescuers face enormous challenges in the earthquake-hit areas. Steep terrain, landslides, and blocked roads have slowed the delivery of critical supplies. Many communities remain cut off from communication networks, leaving aid agencies unable to fully assess the scale of the disaster.
UN officials described the first 24 hours as “very limited” in terms of access, warning that the number of casualties could climb further as more areas are reached. The Taliban regime, constrained by international sanctions and aid cuts, has issued urgent appeals to the global community for assistance. While as many as 40 countries are reportedly in talks with Kabul regarding aid delivery, only Russia has formally recognised the Taliban government.
Amid the unfolding tragedy, members of Afghanistan’s small Sikh and Hindu communities have stepped forward to organise relief efforts. Manjit Singh Lambe, president of the Council of Hindu and Sikh Minorities of Afghanistan, told Pajhwok news agency that the Sikh diaspora, working with the World Hindu Association, had mobilised resources to send aid to the earthquake-hit provinces.
The involvement carries symbolic significance, particularly in Jalalabad, a city touched by Sikh religious history as it was visited by Guru Nanak Ji. Today, the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara still stands in the city, although the once sizeable Sikh and Hindu population in Afghanistan has dwindled dramatically. According to EU data, from more than 700,000 in the 1970s, their numbers had shrunk to around 150 by 2021.
A region on edge
The earthquake has compounded the humanitarian crisis already gripping Afghanistan, a nation battling poverty, food insecurity, and international isolation under Taliban rule. Aid agencies have warned that with winter approaching, the destruction of homes and infrastructure could place thousands at risk of displacement, hunger, and exposure.
Adding to the anxiety, the region has endured repeated tremors since Sunday. After the initial quake, measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale, a 5.2-magnitude aftershock struck on Tuesday, further unsettling survivors and complicating rescue missions. Rockfalls and landslides triggered by the tremors have also worsened the crisis by blocking vital supply routes.
International aid has begun trickling into Afghanistan, but logistical challenges remain formidable. India’s swift action in dispatching tents, food, and medical supplies underscores its role as a regional humanitarian responder. The UN has also mobilised emergency support, while the European Union and other countries are assessing additional contributions.
However, the Taliban’s diplomatic isolation poses unique difficulties. Without widespread recognition, direct coordination with international relief organisations remains fraught. For now, humanitarian aid is being delivered through neutral and multilateral channels, with the focus squarely on saving lives.
