Afghanistan earthquake kills more than 800, flattens villages

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00:00Whether Afghanistan is suffering the deadly aftermath of a magnitude 6 earthquake, the death tolls so far over 800.

00:08The epicentre of the quake is 27 kilometres north of Jalalabad.

00:13It's in mountainous terrain. It's reported whole villages have been wiped out.

00:17International aid to Afghanistan has declined sharply since the Taliban seized power in August 2021.

00:23And getting expert help into these mountainous terrains affected is nigh on impossible due to the Taliban's closed culture.

00:32The images really telling the story of tragedy and pain that the ordinary Afghans are suffering because of this natural disaster.

00:41Let's bring in Shahzab Wala, who is in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, just 180 kilometres from the earthquake zone.

00:48Shahzab, the shock, I imagine, was felt where you are.

00:53Well, the intensity of the earthquake was so strong that around midnight yesterday we saw people in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan,

01:01coming out of their homes and staying in the street after the earthquake was felt here as well.

01:08After the initial quake, a series of at least five aftershocks followed throughout the night.

01:14Yet, most of the destruction is feared to have happened in Afghanistan as the quake has struck at a shallow depth.

01:24As it has gotten dark in this part of the world now, rescue operations have almost been put to a halt.

01:30But the authorities are saying that there may be more people still stuck under the rubble.

01:35The ones who have survived are now afraid to sleep inside their homes as there have been multiple aftershocks in the area.

01:43And then there is a high chance of rain tonight in the areas that have been hit hardest by the earthquake.

01:49Most of these people will be forced to spend the night out in the open.

01:54Earlier today, we saw that heavy losses were reported in more than five districts of Kunar province,

02:00as we even got reports that entire villages were destroyed.

02:05Kunar province that was hit the hardest by this earthquake is one of the most underdeveloped, poor and mountainous region

02:14where most of the houses are built out of clay, mud and rocks.

02:20They are very vulnerable, particularly to earthquakes.

02:23And this earthquake took place late in night,

02:26which means most of the people were inside their homes when the disaster hit.

02:31And the biggest challenge so far has been to reach these areas

02:35as rescuers are facing difficulties due to hard-to-accessed mountainous terran rescuers

02:45have still not been able to reach several remote villages

02:47as they remain inaccessible due to road blockages, mainly because of landslides.

02:53We're getting a real sense, Shahzap, of what you're saying.

02:56Along with the images that have come through of the scale of what has happened here

03:00and, of course, the range of the devastation making it impossible in many respects

03:04to reach the areas and those in need.

03:06And they are in need.

03:08800 or more and the death toll is climbing.

03:11I'm wondering, Shahzap, about the situation politically, of course.

03:13The Taliban in power again since 2021.

03:16The enclosing in of Afghan society of the country

03:20with the rest of the world basically excluded.

03:22Normally, with these kind of circumstances,

03:24there is a massive world response

03:26to come and send emergency crews to try to help things.

03:30One perhaps doesn't see that happening here.

03:35Well, we know that the country is already going through a severe economic crisis.

03:40And since the Taliban have returned to power,

03:43foreign aid has been slashed.

03:44And it has actually undermined the already-in-crisis country's ability

03:50to respond to natural disasters.

03:54The country is facing sanctions on international banking.

03:57So most of the aid that gets into Afghanistan

04:00comes through UN agencies that brings in US dollars,

04:06most of the times in cash through airplanes.

04:09And for now, what we have seen is that neighbouring countries

04:12have committed to help the victims of these disasters.

04:16But authorities are saying that they will need much more

04:19as the scale of the destruction is huge.

04:23Shahzap Wallah joining us from Islamabad

04:25with the latest on the situation in Afghanistan

04:28where the earthquake struck magnitude 6, of course, on the Richter scale,

04:34registering some upwards of 800 people

04:37have lost their lives so far that they can count.

04:39A rescue and recovery operation is underway.

04:41Shahzap there describing the difficulty that is faced.

04:44And, of course, we will be watching for all developments internationally

04:46as to whether help can get there

04:48to help those people stricken in Afghanistan.

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