External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed on Tuesday that Indian earthquake assistance to Afghanistan has reached Kabul by air. He added that 21 tonnes of relief materials, including hygiene kits, blankets, sleeping bags, and other essentials.
Earlier, it was reported that the powerful earthquake that hit eastern Afghanistan on Sunday night claimed over 1,400 lives. Meanwhile, rescue operations are underway, and a search for survivors is going on.
According to ANI, aid workers are facing major challenges in reaching remote, mountainous areas that have been cut off from roads and mobile networks.
The earthquake struck the eastern part of Afghanistan at 11.47 pm (local time) on August 31, with the epicentre located 27 km northeast of Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, at a depth of eight kilometers.
“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,” the EAM posted.
“India will continue to monitor the ground situation and send more humanitarian aid over the coming days,” he added.
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… pic.twitter.com/q8TUb1wbSn
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 2, 2025
More than 8,000 residential houses, primarily in Kunar province, have been completely or partially destroyed due to the earthquake, Juma Khan Nayeel, according to IANS, head of information and publication at the Afghan Red Crescent Society, told Xinhua.
PM Modi, Jaishankar Reaction After Afghanistan Quake
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan and conveyed India’s readiness to provide humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, EAM Jaishankar also expressed deep concern over the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan’s Kunar Province. He conveyed solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and assured them of India’s help in that hour of need.
The EAM spoke with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, expressing condolences over the loss of lives in the earthquake that struck the war-ravaged country on Sunday night. Wishing early recovery to those injured, he reiterated India’s full support for Afghanistan in the hour of grief and conveyed that New Delhi would be sending food and relief material to Kabul.
Jaishankar stated that India had delivered 1,000 family tents in Kabul.
Afghanistan is vulnerable to earthquakes, as it sits on top of several fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian plates meet.
(with agencies’ inputs)