Rescuers race to find Afghan earthquake survivors as death toll passes 1,400
The article reports on a devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan, specifically in Kunar province, where the Taliban announced that over 1,400 people have died and more than 3,000 have been injured. The 6.0-magnitude quake struck Sunday night, flattening villages built from mud bricks and wood, trapping many under rubble. Rescue efforts face challenges due too the mountainous terrain, prompting the taliban to air-drop commandos to evacuate injured individuals from inaccessible areas.
The United Nations has warned of a likely exponential increase in casualties as rescuers race against time to reach remote locations. This earthquake is the third major seismic event as the taliban took power in 2021, occurring amidst Afghanistan’s ongoing crises, including severe funding cuts to aid programs, a weak economy, and the return of millions of forcibly displaced people from neighboring countries.
Humanitarian responses are constrained by limited international aid, partly due to concerns over the Taliban’s restrictive policies toward women and girls, including bans on thier employment in NGOs, and fears that funds might benefit the Taliban regime. over 420 health facilities have closed or suspended services due to funding reductions, with remaining centers overwhelmed and under-resourced, complicating emergency medical care delivery.
taliban authorities have established emergency camps and coordination centers to manage aid distribution, rescue operations, and burials. Simultaneously occurring,the UN urges the international community to increase support to help Afghanistan cope with this mounting humanitarian disaster.
Rescuers race to find Afghan earthquake survivors as death toll passes 1,400
JALALABAD, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban said the death toll from a major earthquake in eastern Afghanistan passed 1,400 on Tuesday, with more than 3,000 people injured, as the United Nations warned of an exponential rise in casualties.
The figures provided by Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid were just for the province of Kunar.
Sunday night’s powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck several provinces, causing extensive damage. It flattened villages and trapped people under the rubble of homes constructed mostly of mud bricks and wood that were unable to withstand the shock.
The rough terrain is hampering rescue and relief efforts, forcing Taliban authorities to air-drop dozens of commandos to evacuate the injured from places where helicopters cannot land.
Indrika Ratwatte, the U.N.’s resident coordinator for Afghanistan, said rescuers are scrambling in a “race against time” to reach the mountainous and remote area. In a media briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, Ratwatte warned of a surge in casualty numbers.
“We cannot afford to forget the people of Afghanistan who are facing multiple crises, multiple shocks, and the resilience of the communities has been saturated,” he said while urging the international community to step forward.
“These are life and death decisions while we race against time to reach people,” Ratwatte said.
This is the third major earthquake since the Taliban seized power in 2021, and the latest crisis to beset Afghanistan, which is reeling from deep cuts to aid funding, a weak economy, and millions of people forcibly returned from Iran and Pakistan.
Ratwatte said when the walls of wooden and mud homes collapse, the roof falls on the occupants, causing injury or death. While the area was low-density, the earthquake struck when everybody was asleep.
“If you were to model it based on what has happened before, clearly there’s no question that the casualty rate is going to be rather exponential,” he said.
The Taliban government, which is only recognized by Russia, is appealing for assistance from the international community and the humanitarian sector.
However, help for Afghanistan is in short supply due to competing global crises and reduced aid budgets in donor countries.
There is also opposition toward the Taliban government’s restrictive policies on Afghan girls and women, including a ban on them working for nongovernmental organizations. Earlier this year, the United States gutted aid to Afghanistan, partly due to concerns that money was going to the Taliban government.
Kate Carey, the deputy head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Afghanistan, said more than 420 health facilities closed or were suspended due to the “massive reduction” in funding, with 80 of them in the eastern region, the heart of Sunday’s earthquake.
W. JAMES ANTLE: THE UGLY POLITICAL DIVIDE OVER THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
“The consequence is that the remaining facilities are overwhelmed, have insufficient supplies and personnel, and are not as close to the affected populations as the more local facilities at a time when providing emergency trauma care is needed in the first 24 to 72 hours of the earthquake response,” Carey said.
Taliban authorities have set up a camp in Kunar to organize supplies and emergency aid. There are also two centers to coordinate transporting the injured, burying the dead, and rescuing survivors.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
