Urgent Need for Support in Afghanistan After Devastating Earthquake

A senior UN aid coordination official has urged the international community to provide support to earthquake victims in Afghanistan, emphasizing the need for not only immediate survival but also long-term rebuilding of their lives. The magnitude 6 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks have left families with nothing, destroying their homes, farms, and livelihoods. Humanitarian workers are struggling to reach affected regions, with nearly 40,000 people impacted and over 5,000 homes destroyed.

Key Takeaways:

• The UN has reached 49 damaged villages in Nangarhar, Kunar, and nearby affected provinces in eastern Afghanistan.
• Over 5,000 homes have been destroyed, and nearly 40,000 people have been impacted by the earthquake.
• Aid workers face significant challenges in reaching affected areas, with a narrow, one-way road on the mountainside being the only access point from Jalalabad.
• Women, children, and locals with disabilities are prioritized for aid, with emergency responders working to ensure representation and support.
• An estimate by the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, shows that 11,600 pregnant women have been affected, in a country with one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the region.
• The potential for a cholera outbreak is alarming, with 92% of affected communities practicing open defecation.
• Humanitarian efforts risk being disrupted by heavy rain, potential aftershocks, and the approaching winter season.
• Additional funding is urgently needed, with OCHA having released $10 million for life-saving supplies and an emergency response plan being finalized.

Statistics:

• 49 damaged villages in Nangarhar, Kunar, and nearby affected provinces have been reached by UN aid workers.
• Over 5,000 homes have been destroyed in the earthquake.
• Nearly 40,000 people have been impacted by the earthquake, with 11,600 pregnant women affected.
• 92% of affected communities are practicing open defecation, increasing the risk of a cholera outbreak.
• $10 million has been released by OCHA for life-saving supplies.
• Over 35 metric tonnes of life-saving medical supplies have been delivered to Kabul through WHO's logistics hub in Dubai.

Sources:

• United Nations, "UNAIDS urges international community to respond to Afghanistan earthquake victims"
• United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), "Statement of UN aid coordination official in Afghanistan"
• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), "Afghanistan: Earthquake Response"