A powerful magnitude 6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, leaving a trail of destruction and death in its wake. The disaster has claimed at least 1,411 lives and injured 3,124 people, with many more feared trapped under the rubble of destroyed homes and buildings.
As emergency services struggle to reach remote villages, hope is fading for finding survivors.
Local official Ijaz Ulhaq Yaad expressed concerns about the dire situation in Kunar’s Nurgal district, saying, “there are some villages which have still not received aid.”
The mountainous region bordering Pakistan has been worst hit, with entire villages wiped off the map and residents forced to huddle in the open air for fear of powerful aftershocks.
Survivor Gul Bibi, 80, recounted the horrific experience, “I lost everything… Just this grandson survived,” gesturing to the toddler in her arms. Her family was buried under the mud and debris of their home in Mazar Dara, one of the places worst hit in Kunar.
Landslides caused by the earthquake have severely hampered access to already isolated villages, further complicating rescue efforts.
The humanitarian group Save the Children reported that one of its aid teams “had to walk for 20km [12 miles] to reach villages cut off by rock falls, carrying medical equipment on their backs with the help of community members”.
The World Health Organization warned that the number of casualties from the earthquake is likely to rise, “as many remain trapped in destroyed buildings”.
The international community has rallied to provide assistance, with multiple countries pledging support. The United Kingdom has pledged 1 million pounds ($1.3m) to be split between humanitarian agencies, while the European Union is sending 130 tonnes of emergency supplies and providing 1 million euros ($1.16m).
Other countries, including the United Arab Emirates and India, have also pledged disaster relief support. The Chinese embassy in Kabul said it had extended earthquake relief aid to Afghanistan.
The United Nations humanitarian office released $5m from its emergency fund to help kick-start the UN response, which will be matched by $5m from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund.
Despite these efforts, NGOs and the UN have voiced alarm about funding shortfalls after massive aid cuts, which threaten the response.
Afghanistan is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by decades of war, endemic poverty, severe drought, and the influx of millions of Afghans forced back to the country by neighbors Pakistan and Iran.
Jagan Chapagain, secretary-general of the Red Cross, aptly described the situation, “This earthquake could not have come at a worse time. The disaster not only brings immediate suffering but also deepens Afghanistan’s already fragile humanitarian crisis”.