Aid From Several Countries Delivered To Quake Victims

KABUL (Pajhwok): China, Iran, India, Turkey and Pakistan have provided cash, food and non-food assistance to earthquake victims in eastern Afghanistan.

The European Union (EU) has also announced €1 million in emergency aid and 130 tonnes of relief supplies.

The quake struck around midnight on Sunday and was recorded at a magnitude of 6.0 by the US Geological Survey.

Kunar province suffered the heaviest losses, while Nangarhar, Laghman, Panjsher and Nuristan provinces were also affected by the disaster.

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), said at least 1,411 people have been killed so far, 3,124 injured and 5,412 residential houses destroyed in Nurgal, Chawky, Chapa Dara , Pech Dara and Watapur districts and Asadabad, the provincial capital.

Cash assistance from the Chinese Embassy and traders was handed over to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) at a press conference.

Bao Xuhui, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan, expressed solidarity with the Afghan people and announced a donation of $40,810 from embassy diplomats and Chinese companies operating in Afghanistan.

Chinese companies also pledged food and non-food supplies, with two truckloads already dispatched to Kunar province and more in preparation.

Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar wrote on his X handle:“Indian earthquake assistance reaches Kabul by air. 21 tonnes of relief materials including blankets, tents, hygiene kits, water storage tanks, generators, kitchen utensils, portable water purifiers, sleeping bags, essential medicines, wheelchairs, hand sanitizers, water purification tablets, ORS solutions and medical consumables were airlifted today. India will continue to monitor the ground situation and send more humanitarian aid over the coming days.”

The Iranian Embassy in Kabul wrote on X that, coinciding with a visit to quake-hit Kunar by acting ambassador Alireza Bigdeli , the first tranche of Iranian aid - including 80 tonnes of flour and oil - had been delivered.

Bigdeli stressed that Iran had always stood by Afghanistan in difficult times.

Reports said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government had dispatched 35 truckloads of relief goods through Torkham, including 500 winter tents, 500 family tents, 1,500 mattresses, 3,000 pillows, 1,500 blankets and two truckloads of medicines.

The Turkish Embassy in Kabul announced on X that aid packages for 1,000 quake-affected families had arrived last evening, vowing continued support:“We will continue our assistance to support our Afghan brothers in these difficult days.”

The EU office in Afghanistan also wrote on X that it stood by the Afghan people, pledging €1 million in emergency funding, 130 tonnes of relief supplies and Copernicus satellite maps to support the response effort.

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