A severe earthquake of a magnitude of 6.3 shook Herat in Afghanistan more than a year ago. Notwithstanding many assurances of assistance, most sufferers still lack proper housing or a supply of essentials. Parents who lost loved ones and their houses in the earthquakes said they still have a lot of hardships. The public’s fundamental needs are not adequately met by the relief operations.
People in the Zindajan area of Herat’s Naib Rafi hamlet spoke about the constant struggles they face. A resident who remembered the destruction clearly said, people remain in despair and cannot disregard the magnitude of the agony. The temporary bunkers offered were not enough despite early promises of assistance. These homes lack humanitarian supplies and are only tents.
Access to safe water is another everyday issue for the locals in the quake-stricken regions. Carrying containers against fierce gusts, they trek for thirty minutes to get water. Fundamental livelihood is the community’s constant struggle.
In an interview with the press, a different local expressed similar sentiment. According to a second source, the absence of enclosing walls in the dwellings constructed for survivors puts families at further risk. He underlined that neither the Taliban nor humanitarian groups had offered support for months. He announced, aid organizations have abandoned people.
In Zindajan and the surrounding regions, the October 7, 2023, earthquakes left extensive damage. Taliban authorities claim that over four thousand people were killed, with women and children accounting for over 90% of the total, however the precise number is yet unknown. 48,000 households were impacted, according to the UN, and several of them are still living in substandard tents.
Humanitarian Crisis
According to figures from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, over 40,000 dwellings suffered damage or were fully destroyed. 275,000 individuals were left in dire need of assistance. Fragile areas already dealing with generations of war and inadequate development were struck by the earthquakes. The severe winter months and poor harvests in Afghanistan exacerbated their effects and put more pressure on food supplies.
The United Nations estimates that the Herat earthquakes caused $217 million in direct losses. Further indirect expenses totaled $78.9 million. Since the Taliban took power four years ago, the people of Afghanistan have been left unprotected, and the current situation highlights this.
Afghan people are currently dealing with one of the most severe humanitarian emergencies in this century, which is made worse by dwindling foreign assistance. More than half of the country’s populace, or 24 million individuals, are expected to need humanitarian aid last year, according to the United Nations. In order to deliver life-saving assistance, the group has requested $3 billion in donations. Thus far, just six percent of the needed money have been provided.
