(MENAFN- IANS) Kabul, Oct 6 (IANS) The United Nations has called for urgent humanitarian aid for thousands of earthquake-impacted families in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province as the winter season approaches, local media reported on Monday.

In a statement released on Monday, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan, Indrika Ratwatte, warned that providing adequate shelter for earthquake survivors remains a top priority. He stressed that emergency support must be rapidly increased to stop further suffering as the winter is approaching, leading Afghan news agency Khaama Press reported.

He also spoke about the urgent need for clean and safe drinking water in the earthquake-affected areas, saying that many affected residents face acute shortages. As per the initial assessments, more than 6000 homes have been devastated in Kunar due to the powerful earthquake, leaving thousands of people homeless and exposed to harsh weather conditions.

The UN further stated that nearly half a million people in Afghanistan's eastern provinces have been affected by the recent earthquakes, with many requiring food, shelter, medical care and psychological support. Humanitarian agencies fear that worsening cold and limited access to aid could further deteriorate the crisis in mountainous regions like Kunar, where many displaced families are living in makeshift shelters.

The UN has urged international donors and aid organisations to increase contributions, warning that thousands of vulnerable people without immediate action could face life-threatening conditions in the coming months.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has said that 721 families have been impacted due to recent rainfall and flash floods in Afghanistan's three provinces - Kabul, Laghman, and Kapisa, local media reported on Monday.

The authority spokesperson Mohammad Younus Hamad said that several residential houses have been completely or partially destroyed, more than 1,000 acres of agricultural land have been washed away, and fruit farmers have faced significant losses, Afghanistan-based Tolo News reported. He further said that several kilometers of roads have been damaged in some areas and 3000 chickens were killed in a poultry farm.

Afghanistan's Meteorological Department has warned that 17 provinces in the country are at risk of heavy rain, strong winds, lightning, and new floods in the coming days.

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