What is happening in Afghanistan?
Three powerful earthquakes that have struck Afghanistan, ShelterBox is responding. More than 2,000 people have been killed, and the death toll is rising all the time.
A 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit late on Sunday, followed by another 5.1 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday afternoon and a 5.6 magnitude earthquake on Thursday evening. Entire villages have been flattened, and thousands of homes, mostly made from mud bricks and wood structures, have collapsed.
Almost all (98%) buildings in the affected areas have been destroyed or damaged and there is an urgent need for shelter.
Many people and families are now homeless. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected, and survivors are sleeping in the open, exposed to the elements and fearful of further quakes and aftershocks.
The remote but populated, areas of Kunar and Nangarhar have been devastated. The shallow depth of the quakes, just 10km, made them especially destructive.
Search and rescue efforts are still underway but being hampered by further aftershocks and earthquakes. Due to the mountainous terrain and landslides, some villages still cannot be accessed.
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Donate nowWhat is ShelterBox doing?
ShelterBox is responding in Afghanistan. A ShelterBox team is in Afghanistan, working with Ishami Relief Afghanistan to support people whose homes have been destroyed with emergency shelter and essential supplies.
We’ve already delivered emergency tents to hundreds of people. But that’s just the start. Over the next few weeks, we’ll also support people with warm clothing, thermal blankets, stoves and kitchen sets to help people survive the cold as winter approaches. And buckets, solar lights, and fire blankets for safety.
Winter is coming – and weeks after the earthquakes thousands of people are still without shelter. Within weeks temperatures will drop below freezing at night and snow will begin to fall in mountain villages. People urgently need emergency shelter.
With houses completely flattened, people need shelters that will last the coming weeks and months.
Our preparedness work around the world has included Afghanistan – so that we’re ready to go in these moments with existing partners in country. Even before the earthquake, we were exploring how to support people ahead of winter, displaced by conflict, returning to remote areas of Afghanistan. The need has only grown with the earthquake.
Jonty Ellaby, Emergency Coordinator at ShelterBox explains,
“Visiting remote villages, we saw that some people haven’t received any support at all. There’s still a huge need for emergency tents and heating supplies, so families can stay warm this winter.
“We met families living in makeshift shelters who told us their village was completely destroyed by a landslide. Now, everyone’s staying in a nearby village, where it’s overcrowded with some tents sheltering more than 20 people.
“Because of how homes were built, repairing them as we’d hoped looks like it won’t be an option. That’s why we’re going to keep our focus on getting more emergency tents to the people who need them most.”
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The bigger picture
Before the earthquake, Afghanistan was already facing a deep humanitarian crisis. Nearly 23 million people – half the population – need assistance. Every day, tens of thousands of people are returning from Iran and Pakistan, many with nowhere to go.
Many returnees fled Afghanistan due to years of conflict, economic collapse, and fear following the Taliban’s return to power. Some haven’t been in Afghanistan for years, or ever. Many are registered by the authorities and given money for transport to their home provinces to find their old homes demolished, occupied or sold.
Around 30,000 people are crossing back into Afghanistan daily, often through remote border points with very little. Some are living in informal camps, with host families, or out in the open – making it hard to track their movements and understand their needs.
ShelterBox has responded in Afghanistan several times before, with emergency shelter for people displaced by conflict and extreme weather like floods. (2002, 2006, 2008, 2016-17).
Watch our Q&A
Eastern Afghanistan was recently struck by two devastating earthquakes, flattening remote mountain villages and leaving thousands without shelter.
In this recorded briefing, ShelterBox’s Director of International Programmes, Euan Crawshaw, shares a first-hand account of the humanitarian crisis and how ShelterBox is responding with emergency shelter and essential aid.
With over 15 years of experience in humanitarian response, Euan offers unique insights into the challenges faced by communities already grappling with displacement, poverty, and instability. This 30-minute session includes a Q&A segment and provides a powerful overview of the situation on the ground.
How can I support people facing crisis?
Donate today – you can help us bring hope and relief to those who need it most. Every donation counts. Giving helps restore dignity, safety and hope to those who have lost everything.
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