UN Calls for Global Support for Emergency Aid to Afghanistan After Devastating Earthquake
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called for urgent global support to assist Afghanistan following a deadly earthquake that has claimed over 1,000 lives. The humanitarian response capacity is overwhelmed, and rescue operations are struggling due to damaged infrastructure and remote locations.
🔹The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called for urgent global support to assist Afghanistan following a deadly earthquake that has claimed over 1,000 lives. The humanitarian response capacity is overwhelmed, and rescue operations are struggling due to… pic.twitter.com/eue87RvvOR
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During a weekly press briefing at the UN Geneva Office, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch stated that the earthquake, which struck Afghanistan on August 31, has left the country’s humanitarian response capacity exhausted. He emphasized the urgent need for global support to address the crisis.
Baloch reported that entire villages have been destroyed, with eastern Afghanistan being the hardest-hit region. Survivors have been forced to sleep outdoors after witnessing their homes collapse. Many areas remain inaccessible due to blocked or destroyed roads, and there are concerns that more people are still trapped under the rubble. The death toll is expected to rise in the coming days.
He also highlighted the lack of basic infrastructure in the affected areas, which has hindered rescue operations. Health services are insufficient, and people are mourning the loss of loved ones while struggling to cope with the aftermath of the disaster.
Baloch noted that Afghanistan was already facing multiple crises, including severe drought and the return of millions of Afghans from neighboring countries. Since April, over 478,000 Afghans have returned from Pakistan, with approximately 337,000 crossing through the Torkham border gate near the earthquake’s epicenter. About 24% of those returning from Pakistan have settled in Nangarhar Province, one of the areas most affected by the earthquake.
The UNHCR spokesperson stressed the need for immediate humanitarian aid to support the Afghan people and prevent further tragedy. He stated that supplies and response capacity are depleted, and called for urgent global assistance.
**Earthquake Details:**
The Afghan Red Crescent has reported that the death toll has risen to 1,124, with 3,251 injured. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed that the 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck 27 kilometers northeast of Jalalabad, near the Pakistan border, at a depth of 8 kilometers. Local authorities described it as one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the country.
