Afghan earthquake leaves thousands homeless, survivors sleep in open amid fear of aftershocks
Thousands of families remain homeless and fearful days after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, killing more than 1,400 people and flattening villages across Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.
The quake, which hit remote mountainous areas near the Pakistan border on Sunday, triggered at least six strong aftershocks and countless smaller tremors, leaving survivors reluctant to return to partially damaged or unstable buildings. Farming villages were particularly hard-hit, with some residents still trapped under rubble.
According to a feature article on Arab News, many families, unable to find shelter, have taken refuge in fields, riverbeds, and by roadsides, risking injury from rockfall if tremors continue. In Dar-i-nur, Nangarhar province, survivor Emran Mohammad Aref said he and four family members slept on a rough plastic mat outside, citing fear of another collapse.
Aid distribution remains a major challenge. The United Nations has 14,000 tents ready, while the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has 700 tents on hand but cannot reach many affected villages due to landslides and poor road access. Local officials warn that displaced families in low-lying areas face additional hazards from aftershocks and debris.
The humanitarian situation is compounded by malnutrition and chronic food insecurity, with the World Food Programme describing the conditions as “brutal” for families with young children. Afghanistan has faced repeated natural disasters in recent years, including a 6.3-magnitude quake in western Herat in 2023 that also left thousands dead and villages destroyed.
Aid agencies continue to call for urgent assistance to deliver food, water, medical supplies, and emergency shelters to the quake-affected population as winter approaches and aftershocks persist.
