Kabul (EFE).- International humanitarian aid began arriving in northern Afghanistan with difficulty on Monday, following a 6.3-magnitude earthquake that caused over 20 deaths and 500 injuries. The country is still facing the aftermath of the devastating September earthquake, which left over 2,200 people dead, and is isolated under the Taliban regime.
A Doctors Without Borders (MSF) team has treated 43 people with earthquake-related injuries so far and remains on alert for a possible increase in patients at the Kunduz trauma center, according to sources from the NGO who spoke with EFE.
In neighboring Mazar-e-Sharif, MSF staff are collaborating with the Ministry of Public Health at the regional hospital, where nearly 200 injured people were treated throughout the day.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs confirmed to EFE the deployment of teams to assess damage and coordinate the delivery of emergency assistance with local authorities.
The World Health Organization sent medical personnel and supplies to the provinces of Balkh, Samangan, and Baghlan (the epicenter of the earthquake).
The human organization posted on X that the powerful earthquake hit northern Afghanistan “as the country is still recovering from the impact of the deadly earthquake in the east.”
UNICEF reported that its teams are ready to deliver “vital assistance to children and their families.” Meanwhile, the World Food Program is assessing food needs in affected communities.
The International Organization for Migration reported that the earthquake destroyed homes and infrastructure in several northern regions, leaving hundreds of families in need of support.
The UN agency increased the number of injured individuals to over 700 and reported that the earthquake impacted approximately 340 families, leaving their homes damaged or destroyed.
India was one of the first countries to send aid. They immediately dispatched 15 tons of food and announced new shipments of medicine and basic supplies.
According to statements from both countries, Iran will provide humanitarian assistance after completing damage assessments, while the United Kingdom is already supporting operations for affected communities through its humanitarian partners.
The earthquake comes weeks after powerful quakes in September devastated western Afghanistan, killing over 2,200 people, and it exacerbates an already critical humanitarian situation.
Afghanistan’s political and financial isolation, coupled with restrictions imposed by the Taliban regime, makes delivering and coordinating aid difficult in one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to natural disasters. EFE
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