JALALABAD, Afghanistan (AP) — Rescue squads continued searching for survivors in the eastern part of Afghanistan’s mountainous regions on Tuesday. Strong earthquake 3,000 people were injured and rose to 900, officials said.
“These figures can change significantly as the injured are evacuated,” Yousaf Hammad, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Agency, told The Associated Press. “The earthquakes have caused landslides in some areas and blocked roads, but they will be reopened and the rest of the roads will be reopened, allowing access to areas that are difficult to reach.”
The shaking of 6.0 magnitude hit several states late Sunday night, flattening villages, leaving people trapped under the tile bleeds of houses, mostly built of mud bricks and timber, unable to withstand shocks.
Most of the victims are in Kunar province, where many live in steep river valleys separated by alpine mountains. Helicopters are being used to evacuate injured people to hospitals, and aid agencies say their teams are traveling on foot to reach the most isolated areas due to the rough terrain and devastated roads.
The Taliban government is seeking international support.
The UK has pledged £1 million ($1.3 million) in emergency funds to be split between humanitarian agencies rather than Taliban governments that Britain does not recognize.
Other governments, including China, are providing disaster relief assistance.
This is the third major earthquake since the Taliban took power in 2021, and the latest crisis that has plagued Afghanistan. Deep cuts to support fundingthe weak economic, and Millions of people They were forced to return it from Iran and Pakistan.
Mark Calder, advocacy director at World Vision Afghanistan Aid Agency, warned of more than 250,000 people who “inflate” the basic needs and the people they need to access services when resources become available.
“This means malnutrition and illness in a context where people who live without proper shelter, access to nutritious foods, nutritious foods to feed their families, clean water, and even healthcare systems simply cannot grow,” Calder said.
