JALALABAD, Afghanistan — The death toll from a devastating earthquake in Afghanistan has risen to over 2,200, according to a Taliban government spokesman. The 6.0 magnitude quake struck several provinces in the eastern part of the country on Sunday night, causing widespread destruction and trapping many individuals under debris.

Most of the casualties have been reported in Kunar province, where communities are situated in steep river valleys surrounded by high mountains. Taliban spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat confirmed the updated figure of 2,205 deaths and stated that rescue and search operations are still ongoing. “Tents have been set up for people, and the delivery of first aid and emergency supplies is ongoing,” he said.

Relief efforts are being hampered by the region's challenging terrain. Taliban authorities have deployed helicopters and airdropped army commandos to assist survivors. Aid workers have faced significant obstacles, often walking for hours to reach villages isolated by landslides and rockfalls.

Funding shortages are further complicating the response. The Norwegian Refugee Council reported a drastic reduction in its workforce in Afghanistan, dropping from 1,100 staff members in 2023 to fewer than 450 currently. The organization has only one warehouse left and lacks emergency supplies. “We will need to purchase items once we get the funding but this will take potentially weeks and people are in need now,” said Maisam Shafiey, the communications and advocacy advisor for the council in Afghanistan. “We have only $100,000 available to support emergency response efforts. This leaves an immediate funding gap of $1.9 million.”

Humanitarian organizations have described the earthquake as a crisis within a crisis. Afghanistan is already grappling with the effects of climate change, including severe drought, a struggling economy, and the return of approximately 2 million Afghans from neighboring countries.