Afghanistan Earthquake: UN Agencies Continue to Support Relief Efforts

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs The UN confirmed this Thursday that yesterday’s earthquake in the Afghan province of Paktika has claimed nearly 770 fatalities so far – 500 in the district of Barnal, 238 in Giyan and 29 in Spera – and left the least 1,455 wounded, many of them seriously.

At the same time, it certified that the number of houses destroyed or damaged in the Giyan district finally amounts to 1,500.

For its part, the World Health Organization immediately sent ten tons of medical supplies to the affected areas. The aid is enough for 5,400 surgeries and medical treatment for 36,000 people for three months.

The UN Refugee Agency sent, among other items, tents, blankets, plastic sheets, and kitchen sets for about 600 families (or 4,000 people) and found that a thousand more tents were missing.

The most urgent needs detected so far are emergency shelter, the lack of basic necessities, food and health assistance, and water, sanitation and hygiene services.

The earthquake adds more pressure to a country with great humanitarian needs

The World Food Program(WFP) dispatched 18 truckloads of emergency supplies, including high-energy biscuits and mobile storage units, and initially plans to supply some 3,000 households with aid. The organization plans to increase its support by obtaining the results of post-disaster assessments.

“The earthquake will only add to the enormous humanitarian needs they endure on a daily basis, including those of the nearly 19 million people across the country who are acutely hungry and in need of help,” said WFP Afghanistan Deputy Director Gordon Craig. .

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stockpiled essential items in Paktika and Khost provinces and supported medical evacuations from Urgun district to Giyan district.

The Population Fund The United Nations will supply feminine hygiene kits and support health facilities in the affected areas, while seven teams from the International Organization for Migration They helped carry out evacuations.

As the UN resident coordinator in the country, Ramiz Alakbarov, hinted yesterday, it is estimated that the needs for the next three months in the six districts most affected by the earthquake would be about 15 million dollars, that the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund has been willing to cover.

Additional UN aid to come

The spokesman for General secretary of the UN, citing sources on the ground, warned at a press conference that thehe risk of cholera outbreaks is especially worrying in the southeast of the countrywhere cases of acute diarrhea were already on the rise before yesterday’s earthquake.

Stéphane Dujarric indicated that preparations are already underway to prevent an outbreak, including oral vaccination and health response activities.

“The humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan, Ramiz Alakbarov, is expected to lead a team to the affected areas in the coming days to support the coordination of response efforts,” said António Guterres’ spokesman.