Doha: Afghan authorities announced today that the death toll from the earthquake that struck early Monday has risen to around 2,205, with 3,640 injured, as rescue operations continue under harsh environmental and weather conditions.

According to Qatar News Agency, an Afghan government spokesman explained that the number of casualties is expected to rise further since rescue teams were still recovering bodies late into the night.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Ministry of Defense said it has organized dozens of air evacuations to transfer the wounded and their families to hospitals in the region. The World Health Organization (WHO) also cautioned that the chances of finding survivors alive are diminishing rapidly, noting that rainfall has worsened the situation.

WHO, which also warned of the risk of disease outbreaks in the aftermath of the disaster, has launched an urgent appeal for $4 million to meet the massive needs created by the quake. For its part, the United Nations has already released $5 million for relief efforts.