Islamic Relief has deployed an emergency health team to provide critical services to survivors of an earthquake in eastern Afghanistan, which has killed more than 600 people and wiped out entire villages. The death toll continues to rise as rescue teams reach more areas.

The 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck Kunar province around midnight local time, when most families were asleep. Children describe being woken in terror as homes collapsed around them, and families fled in panic to try and find safety. Multiple aftershocks continued throughout the night. 

More than 600 people are already confirmed dead, and over 2500 are injured across multiple districts. The numbers keep rising as more information comes in. Many of the worst-affected areas are remote and mountainous regions. Roads have been blocked by landslides and rescuers have to reach some of the worst-hit villages by foot or evacuate casualties by helicopter.  

Ibrahim Ahmed Alhomadi, Islamic Relief’s head of programmes in Afghanistan, says: “Entire villages have been turned into mud and rubble in Kunar and the death toll is rising every hour. Thankfully, Islamic Relief’s team in the affected region is safe, and we have now deployed an emergency health team to get urgent aid to survivors. People have lost everything and desperately need healthcare, food, water, and shelter. The affected areas are remote, rural, and mountainous, and landslides and floods make it even harder to reach them. These are poor villages, and many of the homes are made from mud or flimsy materials that completely collapse.”

The Islamic Relief team on the ground is particularly responding in areas of Kunar province to provide essential health services, including mother and child healthcare, treatment of injuries, nutrition support, and addressing trauma.

The impact is particularly severe as the earthquake was very shallow, just five miles (8kms) below the surface of the earth. The response is further hampered by severe flooding that swept through Kunar and neighbouring Nangarhar provinces in the two days before the earthquake.  

The disaster comes when people in Afghanistan are already struggling to cope with widespread drought and the impact of global cuts to humanitarian aid, which have resulted in the closure of essential services such as health facilities and nutrition centres. Services in the country are also overwhelmed by the massive influx of Afghan returnees who have been ordered to leave Iran and Pakistan – more than 2.4 million people have returned this year, and many arrive in poor health and without anywhere to live. Islamic Relief has been supporting returnees when they arrive.

Islamic Relief has worked in Afghanistan for over 20 years. Last year, we supported more than 636,000 people in 20 of the country’s 34 provinces, providing aid including food, nutrition, healthcare, education, and sustainable livelihoods. In the earthquake-affected provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, we support farmers to improve agricultural production and help small businesses to thrive. Islamic Relief has also provided support in response to the earthquakes in Paktika and Herat.