Passaris expresses deep sorrow after earthquake kills over 800 people in Afghanistan
By Faith Lagat, September 2, 2025Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has mourned the victims of the deadly earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday night, killing hundreds and injuring thousands.
In a post on X, dated September 2, 2025, Passaris expressed solidarity with the survivors and rescue teams working in difficult conditions.
“My heart goes out to the people of Afghanistan following the devastating 6.0 earthquake that has claimed hundreds of lives and left thousands injured and displaced. Entire communities have been destroyed, and families are mourning unimaginable losses,” she wrote.
Rising toll and strained response
According to Taliban officials, at least 800 people have died and about 2,500 others were injured after the quake struck mountainous regions near the Pakistan border. The tremor, which occurred around midnight, flattened mud and rock houses, triggered landslides, and cut off access to remote villages.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by rugged terrain and damaged roads, with hospitals in Asadabad struggling to cope with casualties. Survivors recounted harrowing losses, among them Rasheed Khan, a cloth merchant from Watpur village, who said he lost his wife, three children, and two brothers. “It’s doomsday for me,” he lamented.
The Taliban have appealed for international humanitarian support as aftershocks continue to threaten the affected regions. Afghanistan’s health system, weakened since the Taliban takeover in 2021 and the withdrawal of foreign aid, is ill-prepared for such a disaster.
Global solidarity
Passaris called for compassion and prayers for the grieving families and the injured. “May God grant strength to the grieving families, healing to the injured, and hope to all those affected. Let us remember that in the face of such human suffering, compassion knows no borders,” she said.
The tragedy compounds Afghanistan’s ongoing economic and humanitarian crises, leaving communities even more vulnerable. Passaris’s words of solidarity highlight the need for a global response to support survivors and rebuild shattered lives in one of the world’s most fragile nations.