The death toll from an earthquake that struck Afghanistan's east has passed 1,400, a Taliban government officials said in a post on X on Tuesday.
The number of casualties has been rising daily after the magnitude 6.0 quake struck on Sunday evening, destroying entire villages and towns in the country's eastern Kunar province on the border of Pakistan.
Officials warned the numbers could rise still as aid reaches isolated areas where many are injured.
Many in the Kunar province live in steep river valleys separated by high mountains. Aid agencies have said many members of their teams were making the journey to more isolated areas by foot due to the rough terrain and ruined roads.
"The injured are being evacuated, so these figures may change significantly," Yousaf Hammad, a spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Authority, said.
"The earthquake caused landslides in some areas, blocking roads, but they have been reopened, and the remaining roads will be reopened to allow access to areas that were difficult to reach."
Taliban appeals for aid
The Taliban has appealed for international aid in the wake of the disaster, which comes as the country is suffering a severe economic crisis and the withdrawal of international aid following the Taliban's takeover in 2021.
The UK has pledged £1 million (€1.15 million) in emergency funding to be split between humanitarian agencies rather than the Taliban government, which the UK does not recognise.
Other governments, including China, have offered disaster relief assistance.
Mark Calder, advocacy director at the World Vision Afghanistan aid agency, warned of more than 250,000 people "swelling the ranks" of those needing help to access basic needs and services if resources were not made available.
"This will mean more people living without proper shelter, access to nutritious food to feed their families, clean water, and by extension malnutrition and disease in a context where the healthcare system simply can't stretch," said Calder.
