In his message, Pope Leo offers prayers for all the victims, injured, and missing and expresses his solidarity with those who have lost loved ones, while invoking divine blessings on the entire Afghan people.
By Kielce Gussie and Nathan Morley
A 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan late in the evening on 31 August. At least 800 people have already been declared dead and thousands have been injured.
Upon hearing the news, Pope Leo XIV sent a telegram to everyone affected by the devastating natural disaster. In the message, signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope expressed he is “deeply saddened by the significant loss of life”.
Some 2,500 people have been injured after the earthquake on 31 August (AFP or licensors)
Offering his prayers for all who were killed, the injured, and everyone still missing, Pope Leo entrusted “all affected by this disaster to the providence of the Almighty” and he expressed “his heartfelt solidarity in particular with those who mourn the loss of loved ones and with the emergency personnel and civil authorities involved in rescue and recovery efforts.”
In the telegram, the Pope invoked “divine blessings of consolation and strength” upon the entire Afghan people during this difficult time for the nation.
What exactly happened
A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing at least 812 people and injuring more than 2,800, officials said Monday.
The quake hit at 11:47 p.m. local time, with its epicentre located 27 kilometers northeast of Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, at a depth of eight kilometers, according to geological data.
Aftermath of deadly magnitude-6 earthquake in Afghanistan
Officials said many residents are feared trapped beneath rubble, and helicopters have been deployed to reach remote regions inaccessible by road.
In Nangarhar province, authorities confirmed 12 deaths and 255 injuries. Laghman province reported 58 injuries, while Nuristan province recorded four.
“These are preliminary figures and expected to rise as assessments continue,” a government official said.
The rugged terrain has complicated rescue efforts, but emergency response teams have been dispatched to the affected zones to accelerate aid delivery and search operations.
UNICEF, the United Nations’ children’s agency, also has local teams working with Afghan authorities to assess the damage and coordinate humanitarian support
