BREAKING Earthquake Death Toll Rises to Over 1,400 and 3,000 Injured - Pope Leo XIV Sends Prayers and Condolences

A 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan late in the evening on August 31st. At least 1,400 people have already been declared dead and over 3,000 have been injured. 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”. A second quake hit the same area in aftershocks with many more feared dead.


The pope offered his prayers for all who were killed, the injured, and everyone still missing, he  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.
A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing at least 1,400 people and injuring more than 3,000, officials said Tuesday.

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.
Sources: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/afghanistan-earthquake-search-1.7622836

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-09/pope-telegram-prayers-victims-of-earthquake-in-afghanistan.html