Two Powerful Aftershocks Strike Afghanistan After Quakes Kill Over 2,200
Kabul, September 5, 2025 – Afghanistan was jolted by two powerful aftershocks within 12 hours, compounding the devastation caused by a series of earthquakes that have already killed more than 2,200 people in the country this week.
According to the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ), the latest tremor of magnitude 5.4 struck the southeast at a depth of 10 km on Friday morning. It followed another aftershock late on Thursday night, shaking provinces already reeling from massive destruction.
The quakes have primarily impacted Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, flattening entire villages, destroying more than 6,700 homes, and injuring at least 3,640 people, according to Taliban officials. Many survivors remain displaced, fearing further aftershocks and preferring to stay in open fields rather than return to unsafe homes built of stone, timber, and dry masonry.
A Reuters witness reported continuous aftershocks in Nangarhar, while Naqibullah Rahimi, spokesperson for the provincial health department, confirmed that the epicentre of Thursday’s tremor was located in Shiwa district near the Pakistan border. Initial reports indicated additional damage, but details are still being gathered.
The first and deadliest quake, of magnitude 6, struck just before midnight on Sunday, August 31, 2025, followed by a magnitude 5.5 tremor on September 2 that hampered rescue operations by triggering landslides and cutting off access to remote villages.
Rescue teams and survivors continue to pull bodies from the rubble as aid agencies warn of a looming humanitarian crisis. The United Nations and other relief organizations have highlighted the urgent need for shelter, food, clean water, and medical assistance.
The earthquakes underscore Afghanistan’s vulnerability, as the nation sits on the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide, making it one of the most quake-prone regions in the world.
Critically short of resources due to years of conflict, poverty, and declining international aid, Afghanistan now faces mounting challenges in addressing the crisis. With thousands of families displaced, urgent assistance is vital to prevent further suffering.
