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SITUATION OVERVIEW
Following the 6.3 magnitude earthquake on 3 November 2025 in northern Afghanistan, the National Disaster Management Information System (NDMIS) reported 2,527 affected families across five provinces, with the highest impact in Balkh and Samangan and a lower impact in Kunduz, Jawzjan, and Sari Pul. To date, 25 fatalities (13 men, 6 women, 6 children) and 970 injuries have been recorded, and over 2,527 houses destroyed including 276 in Khulm District, Samangan. A mountain landslide briefly blocked the Balkh–Kabul highway in Tangi Tashqurghan valley, but the road has now been cleared and reopened.
The current disaster compounds Afghanistan’s broader crises, with more than 2.23 million returns from Iran and Pakistan since January 2025 and widespread economic hardship. With the approaching winter season, many remain without safe shelter, underscoring the urgent need for immediate lifesaving support. According to IOM’s Afghanistan Climate Vulnerability Assessment (ACVA) Round 2 report (Afghanistan Climate Vulnerability Assessment - Round 2 (Q1 2025) | Displacement Tracking Matrix, the earthquake affected districts across Samangan and Balkh provinces hosted an estimated 220,311 people (52% male and 48% female), including 9,129 internally displaced persons (IDPs), 12,032 IDP returnees, and over 16,404 returnees from abroad in highly vulnerable conditions prior to the earthquake.
Pre-existing gender norms and restrictions on women’s mobility, education, and employment continue to limit their access to humanitarian and earthquake-related information. Women’s systematic exclusion from community engagement and decision-making, combined with limited female aid worker involvement and restrictions on male workers consulting women, increases protection risks, including sexual exploitation and abuse. Multi-sector rapid assessments in Marmul and Sholgareh (Balkh) highlight inadequate shelter exposing women, children, and persons with disabilities (PwDs) to heightened risks, limited food assistance, and low access to health services for remote and displaced households, including pregnant and lactating women (PLW), elderly, and those with chronic/serious medical conditions.