Taliban officials say that aftershocks from a strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan have killed at least 10 more people and done a lot of damage. Since the first earthquake, which hit just before midnight on Sunday, more than 2,200 people have died. In decades, this is the most deadly earthquake in the country.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) claimed that there were five shallow earthquakes on Thursday night and early Friday morning. The biggest one was a 5.6 on the Richter scale. Eight provinces were hit by these shocks, although Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman were the ones that were hurt the most. People in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, and Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, also felt them.
“A Crisis Within a Crisis”
The UN has labeled the situation with individuals who need help a “crisis within a crisis.” Aftershocks have made it hard for rescue and aid workers to reach victims. About 4,000 people have been hurt. Landslides and rockfalls have made roads that were already in bad state even worse, making it hard for aid workers to reach settlements that are far away.
The disaster has made matters worse for a country that was already suffering with decades of war, widespread poverty, and a terrible drought. It is impossible for humanitarian groups to get to the remote areas where thousands of homes have been destroyed.
International Aid Response
People from all across the world are beginning to work together to support those who have been affected. Several groups and governments have said they will support, including as
India sent 21 tons of humanitarian aid by air, including tents, blankets, and vital medicines.
The EU supplied 130 tons of products and €1 million in cash.
Russia sent a cargo plane with 20 tons of food and other supplies.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has sent out mobile health teams and is getting ready to supply basic supplies to the places that were hit the hardest.
The UN is fearful that the death toll could rise as rescue efforts continue in the mountains, where many people are still buried under the wreckage.