Kuala Lumpur, 2 September 2025 – A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, with the epicentre recorded in Kuz Kunar District, Nangarhar Province. Its shallow depth of only 8 kilometres amplified the destruction, flattening entire villages across Nangarhar, Kunar, and Laghman provinces. To date, more than 800 people have been confirmed dead and over 2,000 injured. Landslides have blocked access routes and isolated remote communities, complicating search-and-rescue operations and delaying life-saving aid.
This tragedy compounds an already fragile humanitarian situation. Hundreds remain trapped beneath rubble, hospitals are overwhelmed, and families are left without safe shelter, food, or clean water. The national authorities have appealed for urgent international support as helicopters remain the only viable means of evacuation for those cut off from assistance.
MERCY Malaysia has activated its Rapid Assessment Team and is coordinating response efforts through its established health facilities in Afghanistan, including the Hisar Shahi Community Health Centre in Nangarhar and Malalai Maternity Hospital in Kabul. Preparations are underway for an emergency medical deployment to provide trauma care, essential medical kits, and psychosocial support.
Dato’ Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President of MERCY Malaysia, stressed the importance of both immediate response and long-term resilience, “This disaster has struck at the heart of already vulnerable communities. Beyond the urgent medical and humanitarian needs, the earthquake reminds us that preparedness and resilience are not optional but essential. The international community must act with urgency to deliver relief today while investing in systems that protect lives and livelihoods from tomorrow’s shocks. At MERCY Malaysia, our commitment is not only to emergency response but also to supporting recovery and resilience through the Humanitarian-Development Nexus, in partnership with local communities.”
The earthquake in Afghanistan coincides with catastrophic flooding in neighbouring Pakistan, underscoring a dual emergency that reflects the growing intersection of climate change, fragile infrastructure, and protracted humanitarian needs in the region. It highlights the imperative for humanitarian actors, governments, and regional networks to work collectively in advancing disaster risk reduction and preparedness strategies, in line with global frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Sustainable Development Goals.
MERCY Malaysia calls on the public, private sector, and international partners to join in strengthening the humanitarian response. Support will enable the delivery of emergency medical aid, shelter, food, clean water and sanitation, mental health and psychosocial support, and disaster risk reduction initiatives.
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