TWO days after an earthquake reduced villages in eastern Afghanistan to rubble, a fresh tremor has shaken the region, deepening fear among survivors already grieving the loss of more than 1,400 lives.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said Tuesday’s 5.2-magnitude aftershock struck at 12:29 local time (07:59 GMT), about 34km (21 miles) from Jalalabad, at a depth of 10km. It was felt strongly in Sawkai district, Kunar province, though no new casualties or damage were reported.

Rescue efforts remain difficult after Sunday’s magnitude-6.0 quake, which caused landslides and blocked access to remote mountain communities. Helicopters have been deployed, but officials say rough terrain has hampered landings.

“We were all in deep, peaceful sleep when… a sudden tremor struck, and the world turned upside down,” Bas Marjana, a resident of the Mazar valley, told the BBC.

She said she was pulled from the rubble alive, but several relatives were killed, including eight of her grandchildren and her daughter-in-law.

Aid groups have begun scaling up their response. Save the Children has sent medical teams and warned of shortages of food, water, and shelter. One volunteer said some survivors had resorted to drinking river water and warned that children could face severe health risks without urgent support.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said its teams had reached hospitals in Nangarhar and Laghman provinces, where facilities were already stretched to full capacity before the earthquake. According to deputy medical coordinator Fazal Hadi, patients were being treated in corridors and staff faced severe shortages of supplies.

At Jalalabad’s Nangrahar Regional Hospital, doctors said about half of the 100 admitted since Sunday were women, many with head or spinal injuries.

Several patients required surgery Many survivors suffered severe injuries, including head and spinal trauma, while others struggled to recover loved ones from beneath the rubble. Entire families were reported dead in some villages, and children were among those most critically wounded.

The Taliban administration, recognized internationally only by Russia, has appealed for global help. The United Nations has released emergency funds, while the United Kingdom pledged £1m ($1.3m) to be delivered through the UN Population Fund and the International Red Cross. India has sent 1,000 tents and food aid, and China and Switzerland have also pledged support.

The quake struck Afghanistan amid severe drought and what the UN has described as an unprecedented hunger crisis. With aid cuts, particularly from the United States this year, the disaster has deepened the hardship for millions already living on the edge.(MyTVCebu)

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