One day after the powerful magnitude-6 earthquake that shook eastern Afghanistan overnight from Sunday, August 31, the country was counting its dead and realizing not only its misfortune, but also the indifference of much of the world. The authorities' lack of resources delayed intervention in the hardest-hit areas, and by Monday evening, rescuers from mainly private humanitarian organizations had still not reached some of the most isolated villages. The official toll stood at more than 1,400 dead and 3,000 injured on Tuesday, September 2.

According to information gathered from actors on the ground, the earthquake devastated three valleys: Dara-i Nour in Nangarhar province, Nurgal in Kunar province and Dawlat Shah in Laghman province.

"We have reached Mazar Dara, in the Nurgal district of Kunar province," reported a member of the French non-governmental organization Acted. "Entire villages have disappeared, reduced to rubble, the number of victims is very high, and we continue to move toward the most remote areas."

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