Hundreds more bodies have been discovered in residences in mountain communities decimated by a significant earthquake in Afghanistan earlier this week, raising the death toll to over 2,200, as stated by a spokesperson for the Taliban government on Thursday. The shallow 6.0-magnitude quake hit the rugged and isolated eastern region of the country late on Sunday, demolishing villages and trapping individuals under debris. The majority of the fatalities occurred in Kunar province, where people typically inhabit wooden and mud-brick homes along steep river valleys divided by towering mountains.
An evaluation released on Thursday by the Islamic Relief charity indicated that about 98 percent of structures in the province were either damaged or completely destroyed. Humanitarian organizations expressed urgent requirements for personnel and provisions to aid the survivors in the area. Muhammad Israel recounted how the earthquake triggered a landslide that buried his residence, livestock, and possessions in Kunar. He shared, “All the rocks came down from the mountain. I barely managed to evacuate my children. The tremors from the earthquake are still ongoing. It is impossible to reside there.”
Israel sought refuge at a United Nations medical camp in Nurgal, one of the most severely impacted districts in Kunar. He highlighted the challenging conditions, stating, “The situation is also dire for us here. We lack shelter and are living outdoors.” Initial estimates suggested approximately 1,400 fatalities. However, Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat announced on Thursday that the updated death toll had risen to 2,205, with search and rescue operations continuing.
Fitrat mentioned, “Tents have been erected for the affected individuals, and the distribution of initial aid and emergency supplies is ongoing.” Relief efforts are being impeded by the rugged terrain. Taliban authorities have deployed helicopters and airdropped army commandos to assist survivors. Relief workers have reported trekking for extended periods to reach villages isolated by landslides and rockfalls. Despite the challenges, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake shook Jalalabad in Nangarhar province late on Thursday, situated south of the heavily impacted Kunar province, with no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The reduction in funding is also affecting the response efforts. The Norwegian Refugee Council indicated a significant decrease in staff in Afghanistan, with only one warehouse available and a lack of emergency supplies. This shortfall in funding poses challenges to meeting the immediate needs of the affected population. Dr. Shamshair Khan, attending to the injured at the UN camp in Nurgal, expressed distress over the inadequacy of medical supplies and services for the affected individuals, emphasizing their urgent requirements for medicine, shelter, food, and clean water.
Qatar’s Minister of State for International Co-operation, Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al-Misnad, arrived in Kabul to oversee aid delivery to earthquake victims. She is the first high-ranking foreign official to visit Afghanistan since the quake hit. Aid organizations describe the current situation as a crisis within an existing crisis, with Afghanistan already grappling with drought, economic challenges, and the return of Afghan nationals from neighboring countries.