Uncertain Fate of Earthquake Victims in Eastern Afghanistan as Winter Approaches

As winter approaches, thousands of residents displaced by the earthquake in eastern Afghanistan remain in a critical situation. On August 31, 2025, an earthquake measuring over magnitude 6 shook the eastern regions of the country, followed by aftershocks that caused further damage. Although aid is ongoing, many victims continue to live in tents under crowded conditions and remain out of reach of relief organizations.

In Kunar province, temporary settlements have been established in the Nurgal district (in the villages of Patan and Zari Baba), a special military base in Kunar, and three other locations in the Anderlachak and Dare Diogal areas of the Chawkay district, with the number of residents increasing daily. Living conditions in these sites are harsh and lack basic facilities.

Humanitarian organizations have so far provided food to over 141,000 people, including specialized nutritional supplies for pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as malnourished children. Additionally, 7,269 families have received essential non-food items such as tents, winter clothing, and blankets.

In terms of healthcare services, at least 98,400 individuals—more than half of whom are women and girls—have received medical care, and drinking water has been supplied to 23,005 people via tankers and chlorination. The construction of 1,370 latrines has improved sanitation access for 41,377 individuals and helped meet their basic needs.

Since September 15, disruptions in telecommunications and internet services have hampered relief operations. These disruptions peaked on September 29 when all telecommunication and internet networks were completely cut off nationwide for 48 hours. This outage not only disrupted aid activities but also severely affected access to essential health services.

By September 25, only $31.5 million had been secured to respond to the earthquake crisis, leaving a funding gap of $108.1 million. The total financial requirement for immediate response and early recovery is estimated at $139.6 million.

Now that the emergency phase has ended, relief organizations are revising their earthquake response plans to focus efforts on the most severely affected areas—regions that will require sustained support throughout the winter.

Given the instability and severe restrictions imposed by the Taliban administration on aid efforts, limited and uncontrolled access to affected areas has complicated the work of relief workers. The international community must intensify pressure to ensure humanitarian access and uphold humanitarian principles.