Children Flee Homes After Second Major Earthquake in Two Months

Another massive earthquake in Afghanistan- the second in two months - forced children to flee their homes in the middle of the night and caused at least 20 deaths and hundreds of injuries, said Save the Children which is sending an emergency health team to the impacted area.

The 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck in the early hours of Monday, with the epicenter in Samangan province, an hour from the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif. Severe shaking was also felt in the capital, Kabul, with tremors reported as far away as Pakistan.

The tremors caused panic and terror for children and their families, forcing them to run from their homes in provinces across northern Afghanistan where temperatures are dropping as winter sets in.

The full impact of the earthquake is still being assessed as rescue teams reach affected areas, but at least 20 people are reported to have died and about 320 injured with houses destroyed and damaged.

Save the Children is sending a mobile health team to Samangan as part of an initial response.

This latest earthquake comes just two months after a 6.0 quake killed nearly 2,000 people in Eastern Afghanistan. The devastating earthquake destroyed or severely damaged more than 8,000 homes, with thousands of children and families now facing a freezing winter in tents, either in camps or close to the ruins of their homes [1].

Cold weather heightens health risks, especially for young children. It weakens immune systems and increases susceptibility to acute respiratory infections, including pneumonia.

The earthquakes in Kunar and Nangarhar also destroyed livelihoods, with most people in the remote, rural villages dependent on livestock and agriculture for income. Nearly every family assessed lost all their food when the quakes reduced homes to rubble [1].

Samira Sayed Rahman, Program Development and Advocacy Director, Save the Children in Afghanistan, said:

“Children are gripped by fear as another powerful earthquake in Afghanistan forced them to flee their homes in the middle of the night. While the scale of the damage and destruction will take time to become clear, the impact on children’s mental health is immediate.

“This is tragically the latest in a series of earthquakes to hit Afghanistan. As temperatures fall, thousands of children in the earthquake-devasted east of the country are facing the winter with only tents for protection from the rain and snow. Now, families in the north are also experiencing fear and uncertainty after this latest powerful quake.

“With nearly half of Afghanistan’s population in need of assistance, donors and governments must step up with flexible and sustainable funding that allows us to respond quickly to emergencies while helping communities build for the long-term.”

Save the Children was among the first international organizations on the ground in Kunar where most of the nearly 2,000 confirmed deaths from the earthquake on August 31 occurred. The humanitarian and child rights organization is providing health care, water and sanitation services, kits with household, hygiene and baby items, and support to children through childcare centers in the earthquake-affected areas.

Save the Children has been working in Afghanistan since 1976, including during periods of conflict and natural disasters. We have programs in nine provinces and work with partners in an additional 11 provinces. We deliver services spanning health, nutrition, education, child protection, shelter, water, sanitation, hygiene and livelihoods.   

[1]ReliefWeb

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