India’s earthquake assistance has reached Kabul by air, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced on Tuesday.
In a post on X, Jaishankar stated, “Indian earthquake assistance reaches Kabul by air. 21 tonnes of relief materials including blankets, tents, hygiene kits, water storage tanks, generators, kitchen utensils, portable water purifiers, sleeping bags, essential medicines, wheelchairs, hand sanitizers, water purification tablets, ORS solutions and medical consumables were airlifted today.”
He added, “India will continue to monitor the ground situation and send more humanitarian aid over the coming days,” underlining the country’s commitment to supporting relief operations in the wake of the disaster.
The earthquake, which struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday night, has claimed 1,411 lives, with over 3,000 injured, according to officials cited by Al Jazeera. The majority of casualties have been reported in Kunar province. Rescue teams continue to search for survivors in remote, mountainous areas cut off from roads and mobile networks, making relief efforts challenging.
In response to the disaster, India extended urgent humanitarian assistance to support operations in the affected regions. On Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs shared images of trucks loaded with rice and other food supplies, reaffirming India’s solidarity with Afghanistan during this critical period.
The quake, measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale, struck early Monday morning, with tremors felt in parts of Pakistan as well, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). A series of aftershocks ranging from magnitude 4 to 5 further complicated rescue operations.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported the epicentre in the Kama district of Nangarhar Province, near the Pakistan border. Preliminary reports indicate at least 800 deaths across Kunar, Laghman, Nangarhar, and Nuristan provinces, with around 12,000 people directly affected.
-ANI