Race Against Time: Rescuers Battle Terrain to Reach Afghanistan’s Quake-Hit Villages

 

Afghan men search for their belongings amidst the rubble of a collapsed house after a deadly magnitude-6 earthquake that struck Afghanistan around midnight, in Dara Mazar, in Kunar province, Afghanistan, September 1, 2025. 

In the wake of Afghanistan’s deadliest earthquake in years, rescuers are struggling to reach remote mountain communities devastated by the 6.0-magnitude tremor. The quake, which struck just before midnight on Sunday, has claimed at least 1,411 lives, injured more than 3,100 people, and destroyed over 5,400 homes in the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar.

Blocked mountain roads, landslides, and ongoing aftershocks have hampered relief efforts, leaving some of the hardest-hit villages cut off from aid. Helicopters are ferrying supplies and evacuating the injured, while local residents dig through rubble with their bare hands in search of survivors.

The United Nations and humanitarian groups warn that the death toll is likely to rise as more isolated areas are reached. Thousands of children are at risk, with urgent needs including shelter, medical care, and clean water. Aid agencies are also working to prevent disease outbreaks by disposing of bodies and livestock quickly.

Despite the challenges, rescue teams, Taliban security forces, and volunteers continue their push into the mountains — racing against time to save lives before the harsh conditions claim more victims.