Support for Afghanistan

Herat Province in Afghanistan's western region experienced a sequence of significant seismic events, with a 6.3 magnitude earthquake occurring before noon on October 7, followed by two subsequent earthquakes of the same magnitude—one in the early morning of October 11, and another on October 15, 2023. Each of these earthquakes was followed by a series of aftershocks. Nine districts have been directly affected by these recent seismic events, with Injil and Zinjadan districts suffering the most severe consequences.

On October 12, a dust storm in Zindajan, Kohsan, and Kushk/Rabate-Sangai districts ravaged several hundred tents that were providing people temporary shelter. Nearly 250 individuals were temporarily relocated to a school in Herat City. The destruction of housing, coupled with ongoing aftershocks, has resulted in multiple informal settlement sites across Herat City. These displacement sites are currently under assessment, and humanitarian response efforts are underway to deliver much needed assistance.

The Problem:

• Over 175,000 people in nine districts have been directly affected by th earthquakes.
• 48,000 people affecting 1.6 million people with high intensity shaking
• 10,000 homes destroyed, 20,430 severely damaged.
• 1,482 fatalities (759 females and 625 males)
• 1,853 injuries (1,137 females and 716 males)
• 40 health facilities in nine districts within Herat Province are damaged, the damage has resulted in service disruptions for approximately 580,000 people.
• 21 schools are reported to have been damaged with severe structural issues.

ActionAid's disaster assessment has revealed the following needs:

• For schools: repairs to drinking water sources and rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged latrines, support the resuming of school activities.
• For temporary shelters: shelter repair assistance and transitional shelters. Many households lack essential non-food items and winter is approaching, so there is a need for scaling up of activities that prepare for the cold weather and snow.
• For food security: 2,000 households in the remote areas of affected districts require emergency food assistance.
• For health: providing primary health care services, medicine, medical supplies, and equipment and rehabilitating 40 damaged health facilities.
• Protection of children and women: providing case management to families who have been separated, delivering dignity kits to support the needs of more than 42,000 women and girls of reproductive age.
• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: almost 90,000 people throughout the 138 affected villages lack access to sufficient water resources.

ActionAid Afghanistan Response:

Rapid assessments of damage and needs have been successfully completed. ActionAid has executed cash transfers to 1,250 families affected by the earthquakes, disbursing $150 per household, ensuring food security for the next two months. Additionally, plans are underway to support an additional 500 families. Each family will receive $340 to alleviate their household needs for the upcoming two months. ActionAid has deployed 4 community mobilizers to enhance response coordination and 2 psychosocial counselors to provide mental health and psychosocial support over the next 3 months. 

Thank you for your support as we continue to assess the needs of families whos lives have been turned upside down by these October earthquakes.