On 31 August 2025, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck a remote and mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan.
The earthquake struck in the dead of night; families woke up to their homes and lives crumbling around them. When the shaking stopped, whole villages were buried under rubble, livelihoods all but destroyed.
Survivors spent the coming days sleeping outside, exposed to the elements, not knowing where their next meal would be coming from.
While Afghanistan has experienced stronger earthquakes in the past, the location of the earthquake’s epicentre had a devastating effect on Kunar and neighbouring provinces.
More than 2,100 were killed. Thousands more were injured.
Approximately half a million people in eastern Afghanistan were affected in some way by the earthquake.
Afghanistan has been in the grip of a severe humanitarian crisis for years; half the population suffer with critical food and cash shortages. The earthquake in Kunar only served to worsen these issues for huge swathes of the population.
A year on from the earthquake, there are still thousands of survivors struggling to recover. Many of the survivors still living in tents are reliant on humanitarian aid from organisations like Islamic Relief. We have been working tirelessly since the disaster to help those affected piece their lives back together.
- Immediate support
Within hours of the disaster, Islamic Relief had deployed an emergency health team to provide critical aid to survivors.
We provided essential health services including mother and child healthcare, treatment of injuries, nutritional support, and trauma counselling.
Earthquake-affected families were provided with emergency shelter materials including winter clothing kits and fire blankets to help them stay warm during the coming winter months.
Families also received kits containing tents, solar lamps and tarpaulins.
In Islamic Relief’s initial emergency support phase, we reached close to 1, 000 families with lifesaving interventions.
2. Providing healthcare
In collaboration with Qatar Charity, Islamic Relief established health clinics in Badenzoy village in Chawkay District and Nangosai village in Sarkano District. To date, both clinics have provided outpatient and maternal healthcare services to around 4,000 households.
These clinics are located in a region where the earthquake levelled some villages to the ground. Naqibullah, whose village was heavily impacted by the earthquake, has witnessed her neighbours come to rely on the clinics.
“This clinic is very important for us and provides quality services when needed. There are several nearby villages, including Badenzoy, Sapara, Slimanzo, and others. People from all these villages come to this clinic for services.
“This clinic is a real need for our area, and we are all satisfied with the services and the medicines provided by the team.”
3. Much needed shelter
In one of the most heavily affected areas, Chapa Dara District, more than 2, 000 individuals benefited from the construction of traditional shelters and repairs to damaged homes.
In Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, around 200 of the most severely affected households received emergency shelter kits from Islamic Relief. These kits included family tents, solar lamps, fire blankets, children’s winter clothes, cookers and gas cylinders, along with guidance on the safe installation and proper use of shelters.
Sultan is the main breadwinner living in the village of Poh-Sera in Sawkai District. In the wake of the earthquake, Sultan lost his job and his home. Shelter kits from Islamic Relief provided some relief.
“We are very thankful to Islamic Relief Worldwide for providing us with tents. At a time when we had nothing and were living in the open, this support gave us a safe place to live.”
“I sincerely thank Islamic Relief and all the donors who supported us during this crisis. Your help arrived when we needed it most.”
Overall, Islamic Relief delivered more than 250 lifesaving shelter kits and 200 tents across Chapa Dara and Sawkai districts in eastern Afghanistan.
4. Cash assistance providing flexibility to survivors
Compared to supplying aid items directly to families, Islamic Relief’s cash assistance programmes offer affected people flexibility when it comes to meeting their needs.
Masom’s home and land where he worked as a daily labourer were completely destroyed in the earthquake. Masom received cash assistance from Islamic Relief at a crucial time, helping him buy food for his family, easing the daily struggle to survive and giving his family a chance to get through the winter with dignity.
“When Islamic Relief provided cash assistance, it brought immediate relief. I could buy food for my family without borrowing or skipping meals,” Masom tells us.
“It reduced my stress and gave me hope. For the first time since the earthquake, I feel like we have a chance to survive this winter.”
More is needed
Islamic Relief has reached around 28,000 people with vital assistance since the earthquake struck Kunar. Even with this level of support, more is needed. Thousands of displaced families are struggling with temporary shelters, limited food, and strained health services.
You can help. Donate generously today and help us reach even more families still struggling to survive in the wake of the devastating earthquake in Kunar. Donate today.
