Afghanistan Earthquake: Expats In UAE Grapple With Fear For People Trapped In Rubble

A devastating 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday night, catching many asleep and others as they prepared for bed.

Hundreds are feared dead, and Afghan expats in the UAE are growing increasingly anxious about the safety of their families back home. Many have been unable to reach their loved ones due to extensive damage and the remote, mountainous terrain of the affected areas.

Haji Obaidullah Sader Khail, chairman of the Afghan Business Council in the UAE, expressed fears that the death toll could rise significantly , as many people remain trapped under rubble.

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"The Afghan business community in the UAE held a meeting today to discuss possible ways to support those affected by the earthquake," Obaidullah told Khaleej Times in an interview on Monday.

“We aim to provide essential supplies such as food, medicine, blankets, and other necessities. Given that many homes have been destroyed, we are also exploring the option of providing tents to assist families with temporary shelter. At the moment, local authorities are assessing the needs of the people. Once we have more information, we will do our best to support them in any way we can."

He added,“More than 800 people have died, and many are still searching for missing family members. I fear the death toll could rise further. Most homes are made of mud, and there are no proper roads in the remote areas. Access is mainly possible through donkeys and horses.”

Afghan national Noor Mohammed, a UAE resident for nearly 18 years, said relief workers have reached the affected regions, but he, too, fears the actual number of casualties may be far higher than reported.

“The worst-hit areas are the mountainous regions of Kunar and Jalalabad," he said. "I spoke with friends in both cities, and they confirmed that many people are still trapped under the rubble as rescue efforts continue. Kunar is especially devastated - entire villages have been destroyed. The concern now is that the death toll could exceed 2,000.”

“Due to the mountainous terrain, it's extremely difficult for rescue teams to access the affected areas. The Afghan government is using helicopters to reach those in need,” Mohammed added.

“800 people are a lot, and I can feel the pain in those families who have lost their children,” said Akramuddin Mahmoodi, an Afghan car sales advisor who lives in Dubai.

He was speaking with a customer on the phone when he was first notified of the earthquake that had occurred in his home country. He was so worried that he had to hang up the call as he couldn't bear the feeling of anxiety.

"The first thing I did was call my mother to see if she and the family are alright,” he told Khaleej Times. The 26-year-old car salesman moved to the UAE in January, leaving the rest of his family behind in the South Asian nation.

Although his family has not been affected by the tremors, Mahmoodi said all Afghanis are suffering, in part due to the economic crisis fuelled by weak job creation and stalled local production, according to the United Nations. Speaking on the earthquake, he said that it was a very bad feeling because“we Afghans, even if not related, we are connected with our hearts.”

Additionally, children are more at risk of getting injured and killed in an earthquake due to their fragility. In the quakes which struck western Afghanistan in October 2023, more than 90 per cent of the victims were women and children. “It's a worse feeling when a father witnesses his children's deaths,” Mahmoodi said.“A mother never wants to be alive to see that you know. They feel the most pain more than anyone else.”

Sadaf Haddad, a board member of the Afghanistan Cultural Club at the American University of Sharjah, sat with her parents the moment the news broke, their eyes fixated worriedly on the screen.“It was a moment of panic and dismay. Hearing the death toll as it kept increasing was a gut-wrenching feeling,” she said.

Most of her family and friends live in Afghanistan, and the first thing she and her parents did upon hearing the news was call and text them to“reassure ourselves of their well-being,” she added.“Upon contacting them, I was informed that the earthquake was a strong and scary one. Requiring them to evacuate their homes in the middle of the night, fearing the collapse of the infrastructure.”

The university student noted that Afghanistan is a struggling country,“with little to no equipment to help those in need. Although the active authorities have promised and presumably started helping the injured and displaced, it will be a time-consuming process, which will delay aid to those in emergency need.”

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