KABUL: A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan late last Sunday has killed more than 2,200 people, making it the deadliest to hit the country in decades, according to the government.

The vast majority of the deaths occurred in Kunar Province, with casualties also reported in the neighboring provinces of Nangarhar and Laghman.

Rescue efforts have been significantly hampered by the mountainous terrain, with rockfalls from repeated aftershocks blocking roads and delaying the delivery of aid.

In the hardest-hit areas, villagers have been left without adequate food and shelter, while local healthcare services are overwhelmed with the injured.

The disaster has compounded an already dire humanitarian crisis, as the country grapples with endemic poverty, severe drought, and the recent influx of millions of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries.

While various nations have sent aid, humanitarian agencies warn that the response is facing a critical funding gap.