The magnitude 6 quake struck at a shallow depth of eight kilometres, shaking communities up to 140 kilometres away. Officials say more than 800 people have been killed and at least 2,800 injured.
Military helicopters have airlifted hundreds of the dead and wounded from remote districts, but rough terrain and poor weather are slowing rescuers amid the darkness. The worst-affected province is Kunar, where the epicentre of the earthquake was located, and where aid agencies estimate more than 2,000 people are injured.
In neighbouring Nangarhar, at least 12 people have been confirmed dead and more than 250 wounded. Jalalabad, the bustling provincial capital, has seen hospitals overwhelmed as casualties arrive from surrounding villages. Dozens of others have been reported injured in the nearby provinces of Laghman and Nuristan.
The Red Cross has warned the toll is “absolutely” expected to rise in the coming hours and days, as the UN appeals for urgent international donations to support relief and recovery.
Al Jazeera
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