On 2/9, the Taliban administration in Afghanistan appealed for urgent international support following the devastating earthquake near the Pakistan border, which resulted in a substantial loss of life and widespread destruction.

National Disaster Management Authority spokesperson Yousaf Hammad reported the death toll had risen to 900, with over 3,000 injured. The Afghan Red Crescent Society reported a higher figure of 1,124 deaths and over 3,200 injuries.

"We need international support. Many people have lost their lives and their homes", Afghan Health Minister Sharafat Zaman said.

This marks a rare instance of the Taliban government seeking international assistance since taking power. Currently, only one UN member state, Russia, officially recognizes the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

Residents of Kunar province on 2/9 carry the body of a child killed in the 31/8 earthquake to a collection point. _Photo: AP_

The British government announced on 2/9 that it would provide 1.3 million USD in aid to Afghanistan through the United Nations Population Fund and the International Red Cross.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced it had deployed aid "meeting Afghanistan's needs and in line with China's capabilities", while India said it had delivered 1,000 tents to Kabul and 15 tons of food to Kunar.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the magnitude 6 earthquake struck near midnight on 31/8, with the epicenter at a depth of 8 km, approximately 27 km from Jalalabad, near the Pakistan border. Such shallow earthquakes often cause significant damage.

Afghan military helicopters deliver aid to Kunar province and transport the injured to hospitals in the lowlands on 2/9. _Photo: AP_

Kunar, the border province, suffered the most damage, with three villages completely destroyed. Several other provinces, including Nangarhar, Laghman, Nuristan, and Panjshir, were also affected. The USGS recorded at least five aftershocks, the strongest measuring around magnitude 5.2. The earthquake also shook several cities in Pakistan.

Rescue efforts are facing challenges due to difficult terrain, damaged roads, and heavy rain causing the risk of landslides. Afghanistan is also suffering the consequences of international aid cuts following the Taliban's takeover in 2021.

Ghazi Abad village in Kunar is devastated, with all houses collapsed and many residents trapped under the rubble. "Not a single house is left standing", said Abdullah, a local resident.

He reported that many neighboring villages were also completely destroyed. "The damage is immense, people have no food or clean water. We have been searching for bodies and survivors day and night", he added.

Location of the epicenter of the earthquake in Afghanistan on the evening of 31/8. _Graphic: SMH_

In Kunar, many bodies of children, wrapped in white cloth, were hastily buried. Military helicopters have transported hundreds of injured people to hospitals over the past two days. The Taliban Ministry of Defense has deployed rescue forces across the region, with 40 flights carrying 420 casualties out of the disaster area.

International experts warn that Afghanistan's aid system is nearly paralyzed and have called on countries to release blocked humanitarian aid funds to support rescue efforts. "Afghanistan cannot cope with this disaster alone", emphasized international law expert Osama Malik.

Thanh Danh (_According to CNN, Reuters, Guardian_)