India has rushed humanitarian aid to Afghanistan after a series of powerful earthquakes killed more than 800 people and left over 2,800 injured in the country’s eastern provinces.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a post on X, said: “India extends humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in the wake of the earthquake.” The aid included trucks carrying rice, food items, and family tents, underscoring New Delhi’s commitment to stand by the Afghan people in times of crisis.
According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Afghanistan on Monday morning, followed by several aftershocks measuring between 4 and 5 on the Richter scale. The tremors were felt across the border in Pakistan as well.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported that the quake’s epicentre was in Nangarhar Province’s Kama district. Preliminary assessments suggest at least 12,000 people have been directly affected across Kunar, Laghman, Nangarhar, and Nuristan provinces.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed that he had spoken with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi to convey condolences and India’s support. “India has delivered 1,000 family tents in Kabul and 15 tonnes of food material has been moved to Kunar. Further relief consignments will be dispatched from India starting tomorrow. India stands by Afghanistan at this difficult time,” Jaishankar posted on X.
Afghan spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told Al Jazeera that at least 812 people have died and nearly 2,817 others have been injured in the disaster.
Relief operations are underway as Afghanistan grapples with the scale of devastation, with international agencies and neighbouring countries stepping in to provide urgent support.