The Taliban administration in Afghanistan appealed to international organizations for help after the 6.1 magnitude earthquake. While search and rescue efforts can’t be carried out extensively due to heavy rains and insufficient resources in Afghanistan, the people in the country waiting help from the world. Hundreds of houses were completely destroyed in villages near the city of Khost, the epicenter of the earthquake. While it’s still unknown how many people died in the earthquake, it’s stated that more than 1,000 people remained under the rubble. The dead bodies found under the rubble are buried in mass graves opened by the public. Aid agencies affiliated with the United Nations (UN) are trying to provide emergency shelter and food aid to the Paktika province and its surroundings, which were most affected by the earthquake.
Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov told reporters that the earthquake that hit Paktika and Khost provinces was also felt in neighboring countries Pakistan and India. Alakbarov stated that according to preliminary research, 15 million dollars of urgent aid is needed to meet the necessary needs in Afghanistan. Alakbarov said that the UN and partner organizations don’t have sufficient capacity for debris removal, so preliminary contacts were made with some countries in the region and an official request would be made when the needs become clear.