Survivors of Sunday’s earthquake in eastern Afghanistan are coming to terms with the extent of their loss, as the death toll climbed to 2,205, with 3,640 others injured, according to figures released by the Afghan Red Crescent Society on Thursday.
The quake struck at 23:47 local time on Aug. 31, with its epicenter located 27 km northeast of Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, at a depth of eight km.
Sixty-nine-year-old Moheb Rahman, who lives in the village of Wader, has buried 20 loved ones since the quake struck. Among the dead are his four children - a toddler son and three daughters, along with 16 other family members.
"It felt like thunder crashing from the sky, hurling fire onto the earth. We were all thrown to the ground as debris rained down, burying many of us. Some managed to crawl out from under the rubble, but far too many never did," he said.
The quake struck just before midnight, leveling mud-and-timber homes across Kunar and the neighboring provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, and Nooristan.
"My martyrs lie in the lower part of the village. We're digging their graves now, and soon we'll bring those five bodies here to bury them side by side. I've already buried six others over there. They were from my own household, and these are my cousins. Everyone's life has been shattered -- 2,000, 3,000 or 5,000 -- the true number of victims is still unknown,” Rahman told a China Global Television Network (CGTN) reporter.
"I'm deeply worried about my uncle. I don't know how to help him. The disaster has taken so many lives. There isn't a single family that hasn't lost six or seven loved ones. There's a valley called Suel Dara, it was completely wiped out," said Saheb Haji, Rahman's nephew.
According to the Afghan Red Crescent Society, rescue operations are still underway, with reports of many people still trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed homes.
Death toll from Afghanistan earthquake climbs to 2,205
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
