HI prepares response to devastating earthquake in Afghanistan

A devastating earthquake

It was almost midnight on August 31 when a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, not far from the border with Pakistan. The epicenter is near the city of Jalalabad, one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the country.

The initial quake and its aftershocks had devastating consequences in the four affected provinces. According to initial estimates by the United Nations, more than 1,400 people have died and more than 3,000 are injured. The toll is expected to rise as rescue operations continue.

The damage is extensive: homes destroyed, infrastructure damaged, roads blocked, and entire villages cut off from the world by landslides. Nearly 12,000 people have been directly affected. However, difficulties in accessing the area – destroyed roads, rugged terrain, cut-off communications – are complicating the deployment of humanitarian aid.

Considerable needs

Many families have lost everything and thousands of people are forced to survive in difficult conditions, without shelter, medical care or basic necessities. Among them are people with disabilities, children, the elderly and women, who face multiple barriers to accessing emergency assistance.

Many survivors have suffered serious injuries that may have lasting consequences: falling objects or collapsed buildings can cause amputations, fractures, sprains, dislocations and blunt force trauma. Survivors urgently need physical rehabilitation services to prevent long-term disabilities.

In addition, many of those affected are experiencing psychological trauma. Shock and anxiety are particularly widespread among populations affected by such disasters, and there is an urgent need to provide them with access to mental health and psychosocial support services.

HI mobilizes for the emergency

Present in Afghanistan since 1987, HI is mobilizing to intervene in the regions affected by the earthquake. The organization is preparing to deploy a team to assess needs and define an emergency response, particularly in the Jalalabad area.

Specialising in emergency response, particularly after earthquakes, HI's rehabilitation and mental health teams could offer rehabilitation services (physical rehabilitation and provision of mobility aids such as canes, wheelchairs or crutches), as well as psychological first aid.

Faced with a deteriorating humanitarian situation and overwhelmed health services, a large-scale mobilization is needed to provide relief to the survivors of the disaster and offer them prospects for rebuilding their future.

Donate to HI's Afghanistan Earthquake Response Fund