Afghanistan earthquake – hundreds of thousands are damaged, and relief workers are struggling to reach the survivors

Andreka Ratwat was speaking today, Tuesday, from the Afghan capital, Kabul, via the video at the press conference of the United Nations agencies in Geneva, describing the situation in the area hit by the earthquake where clay and wooden structures are prevalent in the affected mountainous provinces.

Ratwat said: “When the walls collapse, the ceiling falls on the individuals, killing them or strangling them. Since the earthquake occurred at night, everyone was asleep.”Noting that more people may be trapped under the rubble.

Access challenges

Humanitarian Coordinator explained that hundreds of thousands may have been affected, whether by destroying homes, injuries, human losses, loss of livestock, or any livelihood sources they had.

He pointed out that in the first twenty -four decisive hours after the earthquake, the arrival was “Very limited”Due to the landslides and the fall of rocks caused by tremors.

He said: “This has a great challenge to us and we are spreading there now.”Confirming the mobilization of 20 teams to evaluate emergency evaluation along with 15 mobile teams “Which will enhance human flights from Kabul to Jalalabad.”The capital of the affected Ningerhar Province.

Ratwat said that the United Nations and other parties are trying to create or repair the affected mobile networks due to the lack of communication with some affected societies, and even brought and landed helicopters there. He added: “It is not easy to reach these areas and continue to transport the injured.”.

Psychological support and disease prevention

The Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan stressed the importance of protection work, “Including psychological and social support for individuals who lost their families and loved ones”. He also stressed the importance of getting rid of bodies and livestock to prevent water -transmitted diseases, “Which can spread very quickly.”.

In turn, Joy Singen, Acting Chairman of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Associations in Afghanistan, warned that more people could be saved if access to roads was easier.

He said: “Our employees and our volunteers sometimes have to walk for a period ranging between four and five hours to reach some of these remote villages.”. Senegal added that as soon as these teams reach their destination, they are forced to return on foot and transfer the affected people and the wounded to the city center, noting that the hospitals there are crowded with the injured.

Urgent priorities and supplies taking into account

Undersecretary of the United Nations Secretary -General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher called for supporting the intensification of emergency relief efforts. This comes at a time when the United Nations is preparing an emergency call to help Afghanistan.

UN spokesman Stephen Dujarric said at the daily press conference that the United Nations supports response efforts by spreading basic materials in accessible areas.

Dujarric said that the de facto authorities launched an immediate response as they transferred hundreds of medical evacuation cases to hospitals in the region to receive care, as well as open closed roads.

UN spokesman added: “Shelter materials and medical supplies are running out, and current financing is not sufficient to meet all needs”.

Refugees return to the affected areas

Humanitarian Coordinator pointed to the humanitarian challenges facing Afghanistan, as there are more than 22 million people in need of help. He added: “The earthquake comes at a time when weak societies are subjected to additional pressure.”.

Among these main challenges is the return of 2.4 million Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan in 2025, where “The local communities are fighting in the country for their integration.”According to the UNHCR spokesman, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Papar Balush.

Balush, who was speaking at the same press conference, added: “More than half of these are the deportees, who are people who were placed in other buses and transportation and left at the border to return to their homes, and this has already increased the restrictions on our ability to provide support.”.

He cautioned that the majority of returnees specifically head to the areas affected by the earthquake, noting that last Sunday was the deadline for the period of allowing Afghan refugees registered in Pakistan.

Balush said: “These people who really have very few resources have now returned to a disaster area.”.

As for the coordinator of human affairs in Afghanistan, he warned what he described “The brink of collapse in terms of response to the country’s multiple human shocks”.

He recalled that the humanitarian response plan of Afghanistan of $ 2.4 billion in 2025 is only 28%, adding: “Here we have a state of emergency added to the state of the crisis.”.