Ireland Pledges €500,000 Aid For Quake-Hit Afghanistan As Death Toll Rises

A powerful earthquake in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province has left at least 1,457 people dead, with rescue teams still pulling bodies from beneath the rubble, according to local authorities. The scale of destruction has prompted urgent appeals for international assistance.

Responding to the crisis, Ireland has pledged €500,000 in emergency funding to the Red Cross and Red Crescent to aid survivors in the worst-affected areas. The announcement was made by the Irish Foreign Ministry on Thursday, September 4.

Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Simon Harris described the earthquake as causing“utter devastation,” warning that relief operations will be extremely difficult in the mountainous and remote terrain. Landslides and blocked roads, he said, are slowing efforts to reach those in urgent need.

Harris also called on the wider international community to step up, urging swift and coordinated action to deliver aid before conditions deteriorate further.“Time is critical in reaching the most vulnerable,” he stressed.

The Foreign Ministry highlighted that Ireland has already provided €3 million this year to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, reinforcing Dublin's broader commitment to support Afghans affected by conflict and disaster.

International pledges of assistance are beginning to arrive, with several countries, including Turkey, India, Iran, and Japan, confirming that they will send humanitarian aid to Kunar and neighboring Nangarhar.

Ireland's contribution underscores growing global concern over Afghanistan's fragile humanitarian situation. With domestic resources stretched thin, external support is seen as essential to preventing further loss of life.

As relief operations continue, the challenge will be not only to deliver immediate emergency aid but also to help shattered communities rebuild. The tragedy in Kunar has once again exposed Afghanistan's vulnerability to natural disasters and the urgent need for sustained international solidarity.

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