UN Warns of Urgent Shelter Needs for Afghan Earthquake Survivors Ahead of Winter
As winter approaches, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has raised alarm over the fragile situation of thousands of earthquake-affected residents in Afghanistan. The agency has emphasized that the swift provision of adequate shelter and basic necessities, particularly in the country’s eastern provinces, is critical to averting a humanitarian crisis.
In a message shared on social media, UN-Habitat warned that failure to urgently address housing shortages and basic needs could place the lives of thousands of affected citizens at greater risk as the harsh winter sets in. The organization called on the international community to enhance immediate support and cooperation to help rebuild hope and strengthen resilience among the affected populations.
Following a series of earthquakes in Kunar province, thousands of families have lost their homes or are living in emergency conditions. More than a month after the incidents, the Taliban-led administration has yet to adequately respond to the basic needs of the people, with delivery of essential services to those affected remaining slow and severely lacking.
The UN agency cautioned that the ongoing lack of coordinated and inclusive response by the Taliban administration could worsen the humanitarian crisis in the short term. With Afghanistan’s brutal winter rapidly approaching, continued silence or inaction in providing shelter, access to water, food, and healthcare would equate to disregarding the dignity and lives of thousands of vulnerable Afghans.
