More than 800 dead and 2,800 injured: The earthquake in Afghanistan was devastating – and its full extent is still far from clear. Many villages are remote, and there are hardly any aid organizations on site.
The despair is immense: men are trying to clear away heavy debris with their bare hands. A video from a local reporter shows the destruction: wooden beams, stones, and pieces of roofs are scattered everywhere. Only a few houses are still standing.
The suffering is immense, says a resident of an Afghan village. Everything has been destroyed, the earthquake hit people at midnight, and children and the elderly are trapped under the rubble."We urgently need help. Our children, women, the elderly, and the dead are still buried under the rubble."
Difficult rescue work in remote villages
The 6.0 magnitude earthquake caught people asleep shortly before midnight in a rural, mountainous area in eastern Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan. Rescue efforts are proving extremely difficult because the affected villages are remote and difficult to reach.
In addition, the region had to contend with severe flooding just this weekend, says Christina Ihle of the Afghan Women's Association in Hamburg. The organization has been active in the country for decades and oversees more than 20 aid projects – including in the earthquake zone.
Entire families buried under rubble
"The roads are blocked by landslides. It's very, very difficult to get to the region," Ihle says, describing the situation. The province of Kunahr is the worst affected. People there live in mud houses that are not earthquake-proof and collapse immediately. Entire villages have been destroyed.
"In addition, the earthquake unfortunately occurred in the middle of the night. That's why entire families are buried under the rubble," said Ihle.
Victim numbers continue to rise
The victims are being rescued by the few rescue teams still on site. The Taliban air force is also deploying helicopters to transport the injured to nearby hospitals. But the aid is insufficient: the number of victims is rising hourly, as is the number of injured.
Survivors report scenes of devastation:"Ninety-five percent of our village was destroyed," says one victim."At least five to ten people are injured in every house. I ask all Muslims to help us. May God reward any help you provide."
Too little drinking water, tents and medical supplies
International aid organizations have largely withdrawn from Afghanistan since the Taliban took power four years ago, and many countries have severely reduced their support. This further complicates the situation.
The organizations still on site are now coordinating to provide assistance as quickly as possible, says Ihle."Our team working in Jalalabad is on its way to the region to support the local people in the rescue efforts. What's needed now is water, drinking water, and shelter."
However, blankets and medical supplies are also needed for the affected people, Ihle continued. The full extent of the earthquake is still unclear. The only thing that is certain is that it has further exacerbated the already dramatic humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
