Some Afghan Canadians fear that Wednesday’s magnitude 6 earthquake in eastern Afghanistan could worsen the country’s already dire humanitarian crisis.
Posted at 7:54 p.m.
Afghan state media said the death toll from the quake now stands at 1,150, with around 3,000 injured, after a 4.2 magnitude aftershock claimed more lives on Friday. Nearly 3,000 homes were also destroyed or badly damaged, according to reports.
“I was overwhelmed,” said Nooria Kamran, co-founder and executive director of Children Without Borders, an Afghan-Canadian organization that fights child labor in Afghanistan.
“It is very shocking what is happening in Afghanistan, because every day there is something new, there is something more shocking than what happened the day before,” he said. she says.
So far, the humanitarian response has lagged both in size and speed due to the lack of prepositioned supplies and the level of hunger and poverty that already exists in Afghanistan. Heavy rains and winds also hampered rescue efforts.
Children Without Borders had staff on the ground distributing food parcels and funds for medical treatment in Paktika province, the epicenter of the earthquake. Mme Kamran said the province, which is rural and mountainous, is more difficult for organizations providing aid.
“There is a lack of medical equipment, there is a lack of food, there are all kinds of needs in Afghanistan at the moment,” added Mr.me Kamran.
Houses in the area also have weaker foundations than those in Afghan towns, making them more susceptible to collapse, she added.
Thousands of stone and mud-brick houses collapsed in the quake, often trapping entire families in the rubble. Many of those who survived spent the first night outside in cold rain. Since then, villagers have been burying their dead and digging through the rubble by hand in search of survivors.
Afghanistan was already facing the worst humanitarian crisis in recent history after the Taliban took over the country last year, and an earthquake on top of that is “incredible” and “heartbreaking”, said Adeena Niazi , founder and executive director of the Toronto-based Afghan Women’s Organization.
Afghanistan is grappling with staggering poverty and sinking into an economic crisis after many countries withdrew vital funding and development aid following the Taliban takeover.
“The health system in Afghanistan has almost collapsed, hospitals are closed because they are not receiving help,” said Mr.me Niazi.
“It’s already a huge crisis with the medical services, but now with this earthquake, I don’t know what will happen,” she said, adding that many Afghans trapped under the rubble could die without access to medical care.
Mme Niazi said she fears the international community is not rushing to help earthquake victims in Afghanistan over reluctance to hand over funds and resources to a Taliban-controlled government.
The country’s international isolation also complicates relief efforts, as fewer aid organizations are present in the country.
To show that aid to the victims of the earthquake is welcome, the supreme leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhundzada, who hardly ever appears in public, called on the international community and humanitarian organizations “to help the people Afghan affected by this great tragedy and to spare no effort”.
The current government in Afghanistan is desperate to help its people, said Mr.me Niazi. “I know (the Taliban) are against women, they are against women’s education, but… they don’t have the capacity, they don’t have the resources, they can’t do anything,” he said. she clarified.
“People are victims of the Taliban and they are also easy to ignore. They are punished by the international community because they are ruled by the Taliban,” she added.
Global Affairs Canada said the federal government remained deeply concerned about the continuing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and offered its condolences to the earthquake victims and their families.
The department added that it is not aware of any Canadians affected by the earthquake, but will continue to monitor the situation closely and support experienced humanitarian organizations that match all of its requirements to meet the needs of vulnerable Afghans.
In March, Canada allocated $143 million in humanitarian assistance to support vulnerable populations in Afghanistan and neighboring countries.
— With information from Jordan Omstead and The Associated Press.