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Afghanistan: Earthquake - Jun 2022

Disaster description

At 01.30 local time on 22 June, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck the Central Region of Afghanistan impacting Paktika and Khost provinces. The earthquake – which was recorded at a depth of 10 km – was reportedly felt in neighbouring provinces including Kabul, as well as in Islamabad, Pakistan and India. Affected districts identified to date include Barmal, Ziruk, Nika and Giyan in Paktika province and Spera district in Khost Province. Gayan district in Paktika province is reportedly the worst affected with up to 200 people killed and 100 people injured, many of them seriously. The number of people killed or injured has yet to be confirmed. In addition, up to 1,800 homes have reportedly been destroyed and damaged in Gayan, representing 70 per cent of the district’s housing stock. In Spera district, Khost province, 25 people have reportedly been killed and 20 injured. (OCHA, 22 Jun 2022)

A massive earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale hit the three eastern provinces of Paktika, Paktia and Khost last night. So far, around 920 casualties have been reported. "This number will definitely increase, as the region is very mountainous and difficult to access," says Naeem Shah, Johanniter Head of Mission in Afghanistan. Johanniter, together with its partner HADAAF, has been providing medical assistance to the residents of Khost province and the Pakistani refugees living there in Gulan Camp. HADAAF has already sent assessment teams to the affected areas in Khost. (Johanniter, 22 Jun 2022)

After the 5.9 M earthquake that occurred in the Spera District (Khost Province, eastern Afghanistan) close to the border with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (north-western Pakistan), the number of casualties has increased. The most affected Provinces are Paktika, Khost, and Nangarhar. Needs assessment continues today and tomorrow. The most important immediate needs are in the sectors of food, health/trauma, and basic non-food items and emergency shelter. In Pakistan, one person died, and two houses have been damaged in Lakki Marwat District (southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), following the seismic event. (ECHO, 23 Jun 2022)

To date, around 770 people are estimated to have been killed across Barmal (500) and Giyan (238) districts in Paktika province, and Spera district (29) in Khost province. In addition, at least 1,455 people have been injured across three of the six most affected districts of Barmal, (1,000), Giyan (393), and Spera (62) – many of them seriously. Further, nearly 1,500 homes have now been verified as destroyed and damaged in Giyan district, Paktika province. On the evening of 22 June, the Ministry of Defense confirmed that 90 per cent of search and rescue operations had been finalized. Additional assessments are taking place today to verify this, however, and casualties may rise further. (OCHA, 23 Jun 2022)

On 24 June, Pakistan’s Meteorological Department recorded a 4.2 magnitude aftershock in Giyan District, Paktika province – one of the worst-affected districts following Wednesday’s 5.9 magnitude earthquake. Local media reports that the aftershock killed five people and injured a further 11 have yet to be verified. Currently, the death toll from Wednesday’s earthquake stands at around 770 people killed and nearly 1,500 wounded. (OCHA, 25 Jun 2022)

Latest findings from needs assessments reveal that at least 155 children were killed and nearly 250 children were injured by the earthquake, with 86 per cent losing their lives in Giyan district (134), Paktika province alone. Additionally, 65 children have reportedly been orphaned or left unaccompanied as a result of the tremor. Findings from assessments further highlight that almost 1,900 homes across Giyan (1,028) and Barmal (450) districts in Paktika province, and Spera (416) district in Khost province have been destroyed. Many more are estimated to have experienced extensive damage and are at-risk of collapse. Shelter assessments to ascertain the full extent of damage are continuing. (OCHA, 26 Jun 2022)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), after the 5.9 M earthquake occurred on 21 June in Spera District (Khost Province, eastern Afghanistan), 1,039 people have died, 2,949 people have been injured and 4,500 houses have been partially or fully damaged across Paktika and Khost Provinces. The most affected Districts are Giyan, Barmal, and Ziruk Districts in Paktika Province, and Spera in Khost Province. On 24 June, an aftershock of 4.3 M hit the affected area, and at least five persons died while 11 others were injured. Needs assessments are being completed, the final numbers of death and affected are being confirmed. Humanitarian assistance in Paktika and Khost Provinces is continuing. (ECHO, 27 Jun 2022)

On 27 June, the Humanitarian Coordinator launched an emergency appeal calling for $110 million to urgently help 362,000 men, women and children for the next three months in the hardest-hit areas in the provinces of Paktika and Khost. This new appeal is part of this year’s Humanitarian Response Plan, which calls for $4.4 billion, but is massively underfunded at just over one third. The UN and humanitarian partners are borrowing stocks, personnel, and resources from existing humanitarian programmes, which will have immediate impact if these stocks are not replenished (particularly food stocks and WASH supplies). (OCHA, 27 Jun 2022)

Humanitarian partners continue to mobilize and scale-up their capacity and presence to respond to earthquake-related needs across Khost and Paktika provinces. Assessments reveal that women and girls comprise the majority of those affected (51 per cent) and that at least 10,331 homes (93 per cent of those assessed) were damaged (fully or partially) in Paktika and Khost provinces with many more are at risk of collapse; while 71 per cent of the assessed villages reported severe or complete loss of their grain facilities; 36 per cent of the assessed villages have either severely or completely damaged school buildings, 18 per cent of villages reported damaged clinics, and 60 per cent of water points are reportedly damaged. The fragile living conditions in the affected communities and high temperature in summer have increased the risk of communicable diseases, such as acute watery diarrhea (AWD)/cholera, and malaria. More than 464 cases of AWD were confirmed in Giyan, Barmal and Spera between 3 and 10 July. (OCHA, 17 Jul 2022)

An earthquake of 5.1 M at a depth of 10 km occurred in eastern Afghanistan, near the border with north-western Pakistan, on 18 July at 12:22 UTC (16:52 local time). The epicentre was located in the Spera district (Khost province), approximately 10 km south-west of Spera town. Media report, as of 20 July, 44 injured people and around 600 destroyed houses across the Spera district and the neighbouring Giya district (Paktika province). On 21 June 2022, the same area has been affected by a 5.9 M earthquake that resulted in more than 1,000 fatalities. (ECHO, 20 Jul 2022)

To date, around 376,000 people have been reached with at least one form of assistance, including 124,000 with food and agricultural support; 93,000 with emergency shelter and non-food Items (NFIs); 66,000 with protection; and 90,000 with multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA). A further 313,000 people have received blanket WASH assistance – soap and chlorine tabs – as part of preemptive measures to prevent the spread of acute watery diarrhea (AWD); 152,000 health consultations have also been provided. (OCHA, 26 Aug 2022)

Overall, humanitarian partners reached more than 515,000 people with at least one form of humanitarian assistance. Around 1.2 million people have received water treatment products (i.e. chlorine tabs), soap, hygiene promotion messages and awareness session as part of measures to prevent the spread of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD). The Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) classified the earthquake-affected provinces as phase 3 (crisis) & 4 (emergency) where around half of the population are estimated to be food insecure; about 112,000 people have been assisted with emergency food assistance. More than 20 health partners are active in all the earthquake-affected areas and have reached 203,000 people through mobile and fixed health teams. More than 75,000 children and caregivers have been reached with primary and life-saving protection intervention and over 9,000 women and girls received life-saving information and services on women's protection and health. Besides the earthquake, the affected areas have been historically underserved with around 30,000 school aged children in need of education. UNICEF has established 140 Community-Based Education (CBE) and assessed 17 schools and one Madrassa for renovation. (OCHA, 31 Oct 2022)

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