UN Asks For $400M To Repair Earthquake Disaster Zone

The UN reported that after a devastating earthquake in October that claimed almost 2,000 lives, western Afghanistan needs more than $400 million to rebuild and recover.

This terrible earthquake, which struck on October 7 and had a Richter scale value of 6.3, left the province of Herat in ruins. Thousands of people were injured and left homeless as entire villages were destroyed. Survivors are still dealing with difficulties months later as they try to put their lives back together.

A recent U.N. report, released in cooperation with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the European Union, estimates that $402.9 million is urgently needed to support the province’s vital recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Nine districts totaling about 2.2 million people were included in the survey, which offers a comprehensive analysis of those affected, including women, children, and people with disabilities.

According to the report, there was significant damage in the districts of Herat, Injil, and Zindajan, especially to vulnerable and rural communities.

Particularly for the most impacted families, the report emphasized how critical it is to prioritize building earthquake-resistant housing and restoring access to essential services. The evaluation of critical requirements was predicated on remote analytics, publicly accessible data, and domain expertise.

The study includes a detailed breakdown of the populations affected, including pregnant women, infants, and people with disabilities, and covered nine districts totaling about 2.2 million people.

The study found that the Herat, Injil, and Zindajan districts were most severely affected, with vulnerable and rural populations having the most difficulties.

Afghanistan is prone to earthquakes because of its many fault lines and the tectonic plate movement of its three adjacent regions.

Afghans are still recuperating from the devastating effects of two recent earthquakes: one in June 2022 that destroyed many homes and left many dead, and another of magnitude 6.5 that struck eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan in March.

Afghanistan must have international support to recover from the October earthquake, strengthen its defenses against future calamities, and ensure a safer and more stable future for its people.