No less than 1,000 people’s have been reported dead and hundreds harmed on Wednesday after a strong 5.9 greatness quake magnitude earthquake rocked Afghanistan with authorities claiming the toll is likely to rise as rescuers find “grave after grave” in a bid to find survivors from collapsed buildings.
The quake that significantly hit the eastern Paktika region early Wednesday morning struck hardest in the rugged east, as the nation keeps on reeling under a severe economic crisis and food shortage following the Taliban takeover in August last year.
Mohammad Amin Huzaifa, head of the Information and Culture Department told AFP, “people are digging grave after grave,” adding that no less than 1,000 people had died in that province alone. “It is raining also, and all houses are destroyed. People are still trapped under the rubble,” he told journalists.
Death toll continued to rise, leading the country’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, to warn it would probably rise further. Anas Haqqani, a senior Taliban official encouraged the government is working within its capabilities and urged the international community to extend help. “We trust that the International Community and help offices will likewise help our people in this dire situation,” he said in a tweet.
Helping Hands:
India said giving help and backing to Afghanistan in its “hour of need is committed”. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India shares the grief of Afghan people. “India communicates condolences and sympathies to the people and their families, and to every one of those affected by the grievous quake in Afghanistan. We share the grief of people of Afghanistan and remain committed to provide assistance and support in this hour of need,” he said on Twitter. “We share the grief of people of Afghanistan and remain committed to provide assistance and support in this hour of need,” Bagchi added.
Afghan Ambassador Farid Mamundzay valued India’s solidarity and support at this “difficult time”.
“Value the solidarity and support of India at this troublesome time. Humanitarian situation in Afghanistan was already going from worse to worst and with the occurrence of natural disasters like the recent earthquake make life unbearable for many Afghans,” he tweeted.
Mamundzay said prompt global help is required to manage both the humanitarian crisis and the damages caused by the natural disaster. “The casuality figure is probably going to go up as search operation go on in different parts of Paktika, Khost and Nangarhar,” he said.
The United Nations and European Union have offered help. “Inter-agency assessment teams have already been deployed to a number of affected areas,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Afghanistan tweeted.
Tomas Niklasson, EU special envoy for Afghanistan, tweeted: “The EU is observing the circumstance and stands prepared to arrange and give EU emergency assistance to people and communities affected.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for solidarity from the international community to help families in the country which was already reeling from the impact of years of conflict, economic hardship, and hunger. “I was disheartened to know about the terrible loss of life brought about by the earthquake which struck Afghanistan recently local time close to the city of Khost. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed and injured, and this tragic toll might continue to rise,” Guterres said.
“We depend on the international community to help support the hundreds of families hit by this most recent disaster. This is the ideal opportunity for solidarity,” he said. Conveying his deep condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, Guterres said the United Nations in Afghanistan is fully mobilized. “Our teams are already on the ground assessing the needs and providing initial support.”
A joint assertion from Afghanistan embassies encouraged international organizations to provide aid and assistance. “Diplomatic missions call for generous support of all countries, organizations to provide urgent humanitarian aid, to thousand of surviver’s of the earthquake,” it said. It also called for the flags of “Islamic Republic missions shall be flown half-mast until sunset on Thursday.”
LIMITED RESCUE RESPONSE:
“We depend on the international community to help support the hundreds of families hit by this latest disaster. Right now is an ideal opportunity for solidarity,” he said. Passing his deep condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, Guterres said the United Nations in Afghanistan is fully mobilized. “Our groups are now on the ground evaluating the necessities and offering starting help.”
A joint statement from Afghanistan embassies encouraged international organizations to give aid and assistance. “Diplomatic missions call for generous support of all countries, organizations to provide urgent humanitarian aid, to thousand of survivers of the earthquake,” it said. It also called for the flags of “Islamic Republic missions shall be flown half-mast until sunset on Thursday.”