A series of four strong earthquakes in western Afghanistan, occurring within ten days, have left the already traumatized population facing even more hardship as the harsh winter approaches, according to reports from UN agencies. The latest earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.3, struck areas northeast of Herat city on a Sunday morning local time.
The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that as of Monday evening, two people were reported to have been killed, and over 150 were injured in the most recent quake. In total, approximately 1,500 people have died, and a further 2,000 have been injured.
Daniel Peter Endres, the acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, described the situation as a “race against time” for aid organizations to provide assistance before the onset of winter. He noted that the affected communities, which have little resilience to cope with multiple shocks, are particularly vulnerable, especially with the approaching cold winter. Nightly temperatures have significantly dropped, and many people whose homes were damaged are sleeping outside due to fear of complete collapse.
Local communities and aid organizations are providing food and non-food relief items, including tents, blankets, and heating supplies. However, more assistance is needed.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) stated that these earthquakes have compounded the challenges facing Afghans, as they are already struggling to feed themselves. The affected communities have endured decades of conflict, high levels of food insecurity, years of drought-like conditions, and economic downturn. About 43,000 people (7,165 families) have been directly affected by the earthquakes and their aftershocks across the region, with thousands of homes destroyed or severely damaged. Aid facilities, water sources, and offices have also suffered varying degrees of damage, and assessments are ongoing to determine structural damage and facilitate the return of affected residents to their homes.
