Several countries and international organisations have sent aid and relief materials to Afghanistan in the aftermath of last Wednesday’s 6.1 magnitude earthquake that killed over 1,000 people in the Paktika and Khost provinces. The Taliban, too, has announced an $11 million aid programme but also reiterated their calls for Afghan assets to be unfrozen and sanctions to be lifted.
Pakistan, which has long advocated for engagement with and the recognition of the Taliban, sent 13 trucks containing food, tents, and essential medicines. In addition, a team of 19 physicians and paramedics was deployed to Khost.
🗺️SHAKE MAP: seismic intensity scale (Mercalli) from today's 5.9 magnitude #earthquake.
— OCHA Afghanistan (@OCHAAfg) June 22, 2022
🔴At only 10km depth, it was felt strongly in areas in red below, where damages & casualties are most likely concentrated.
🆘Life-saving search and rescue efforts are ongoing.#Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/5UGv6st2TW
Pakistan has also reportedly opened up its borders to critically injured Afghans in northwestern provinces to allow them to seek medical assistance in Pakistani hospitals. In addition, Pakistani Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif spoke with acting Afghan PM Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund to reassure him of Islamabad’s continued support.
India, too, sent a technical team to Kabul to assist with the delivery of aid. The 19-member official delegation will operate from the embassy in Kabul and will “closely monitor and coordinate the efforts of various stakeholders for the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance.”
India, a true first responder. https://t.co/riXkZlzwxC
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 23, 2022
On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that 27 tonnes of emergency relief have been sent to Afghanistan, including family ridge tents, sleeping bags, blankets, and sleeping mats. It noted that the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Afghan Red Crescent Society would assist with the delivery of the aid materials.
Meanwhile, China has pledged $7.5 million in humanitarian aid, including tents, towels, beds, and other essential items. Qatar, too, sent cargo planes carrying relief material to Khost airport. Likewise, Iran, Turkey, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates have all sent emergency aid to Afghanistan, while Taiwan has pledged $1 million to the victims of the natural disaster.
The devastation in Afghanistan following the magnitude 6.1 earthquake is heartbreaking.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) June 22, 2022
My condolences to the people of Afghanistan & the Australian-Afghan community, who have lost so many brothers and sisters today.
Australia will work with partners to respond to this crisis.
Several international organisations have released aid packages as well. For instance, UNICEF provided blankets, basic supplies, and tarp to make tents. Furthermore, the United Nations World Health Organisation provided medical supplies to hospitals. The incident also featured in the United Nations Security Council session discussions last week.
Local groups have initiated relief efforts, too. For instance, on Saturday, the Afghan military delivered food, water, and tents from the Afghan Red Crescent to people in Gayan. Furthermore, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment pledged $1.7 million toward relief efforts.
The earthquake in Afghanistan is a great tragedy, adding to an already dire humanitarian situation. We grieve for all the lives lost and the hardships Afghans continue to face. The U.S. is working with our humanitarian partners to send medical teams to help those affected.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) June 22, 2022
Addressing concerns about the misuse of the aid by the Taliban, a senior official from the group assured that the international community and organisations would “do the distribution by themselves.”
Despite these efforts, poor infrastructure has been obstructing relief efforts. For instance, the International Committee of the Red Cross’s spokesperson in Afghanistan, Lucien Christen, said that while there are five organisation-run hospitals in the regions, the damage to roads had made the worst-affected regions inaccessible.
Within few hours, @WHO teams are supporting local #health workers in saving lives & taking care of people affected by the #earthquake in #Afghanistan. Emergency kits have reached Paktika Prov Hosp for the immediate needs of those injured.@OCHAAfg @RamizAlakbarov @unafghanistan pic.twitter.com/lEZQmOhY7Q
— WHO Afghanistan (@WHOAfghanistan) June 22, 2022
The Taliban, however, insists that the main hurdles to resolving the situation are its frozen assets and Western sanctions. In fact, Afghan foreign ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkh has called on the US to address both of these concerns “so that the humanitarian aid delivery process is expedited and made easier.”
Supporting the Taliban’s call to the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, “Saw US officials claim that the US ‘stands with the people of Afghanistan’. Then why not give the $7 billion back to the Afghans?”
The US currently holds $7 billion in Afghan assets.
These are some of those being treated at the main hospital in Paktika following the powerful earthquake in Afghanistan late last night…
— Secunder Kermani (@SecKermani) June 22, 2022
Whole villages, entire communities, wiped out in a single devastating moment
More than 1,000 believed to have been killed pic.twitter.com/jalY10CaUC
Apart from the thousands of deaths, Wednesday’s earthquake also left several homeless or injured, while five others died in an aftershock on Friday. According to the United Nations Children’s agency, 121 children died in the earthquake.
Although earthquakes are frequent in Afghanistan, mainly at the junction between the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, this is the deadliest disaster since 1998, when over 5,000 people were killed in Takhar and Badakhshan.
My heart goes out to the people of Afghanistan following the devastating earthquake which has claimed hundreds of lives.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) June 22, 2022
The @UN is fully mobilized & our teams are on the ground, assessing needs & providing initial support. pic.twitter.com/LFrNKVxPpS
Compounding Afghanistan’s already spiralling humanitarian crisis, it is expected that the earthquake has disrupted water and hygiene systems, with reports of a potential cholera outbreak as well. In fact, the spokesperson for Afghanistan’s health ministry, Sharafat Zaman, said, “The people are extremely needy for food and clean water.”
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has said 500,000 instances of water-related infections have already been reported. Keeping this in mind, UNICEF has also been distributing water purification tablets along with other sanitary products.