IsraAID has launched a humanitarian response to the earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on Monday and killed at least 1,000 people, injured more than 1,600 and damaged thousands of homes. Numbers are expected to rise as search-and-rescue operations continue.
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The aid organization will work with local partners to assess the needs of the affected population and distribute essential medical and relief supplies.
With large numbers of wounded and the health system already strained, there are growing concerns that a lack of basic shelter and sanitation could lead to a secondary health crisis.
The magnitude 6.1 earthquake severely impacted Paktika and Khost provinces, and was felt in the capital city of Kabul. People in Pakistan and India reportedly also felt the shaking. In the most severely affected area – the Gayan District in Paktika Province – some 70% of the housing has been affected with up to 1,800 homes reportedly damaged or destroyed.
CEO of IsraAID Yotam Polizer said the organization as "committed to responding to humanitarian crises worldwide, wherever they occur, and building lasting relationships with affected communities.
"Through the evacuation of vulnerable Afghan nationals last year and our ongoing work in Albania with Afghan refugees, we have gotten to know amazing Afghan people and communities. In the face of this devastating earthquake, we reaffirm our long-term commitment to helping them rebuild their lives," he said.
Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.
