In October 2023, Afghanistan was rocked by 4 separate earthquakes causing untold devastation to the province of Herat in western Afghanistan.
The first 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the province of Herat on the morning of 7 October 2023. Over the next 2 weeks, 3 more massive earthquakes followed, while the aftershocks were felt across the neighbouring regions of Badghis and Farah.
More than 275,000 people were affected by the earthquakes. Tragically, 2,000 people were killed – the majority of whom were women and children who were indoors when the earthquakes destroyed their homes.
Entire villages were flattened, with thousands of people trapped inside their collapsed houses – in many instances, locals were forced to wait for hours for help to reach them. Survivors endured several nights in the open skies beside their loved ones, fearing more possible earthquakes.
“We lost everything”
Shafiqa was fortunate to escape unscathed when the earthquake struck her village in Zindajan district.
“I was very shocked to witness such devastation,” she says. “The ground shook violently. I watched as parts of my house’s walls started to crumble. We lost our house to the earthquake; we lost everything.”
Shafiqa managed to scramble to safety with her 4-year-old son as her one-room mud-brick home collapsed before her eyes.
“We’re now living a few steps away from where our house stood. Those who survived are now facing strong winds and a cold winter. My son fell sick, and there was no clinic nearby. Islamic Relief was among the first responders. They brought us water and constructed latrines. We feel safer and more dignified to be using the latrines. Thank you so much.”
The earthquake struck Afghanistan at a time when the region was already dealing with numerous climate-induced disasters and a humanitarian crisis worsened by the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021.
A year after the earthquake, many families, like Shafiqa’s, are still living in makeshift tents and temporary shelters, enduring the scorching summers and harsh winters of Afghanistan in squalid conditions.
An immediate response
Islamic Relief responded quickly to the earthquakes, launching an emergency operation within 24 hours of the first quake. Islamic Relief set up a makeshift medical tent to provide first aid emergency response to the survivors and deployed 6 mobile health teams to the affected villages to provide urgent primary healthcare.
Reflecting on her involvement in Islamic Relief’s emergency response, Dr. Wahida describes the scene she found when her team were first deployed to Herat.
“I have responded to several emergencies in the area before. I have never seen such a scene, not even in horror movies,” Dr Wahida says. “The sheer trail of destruction left behind by the brutal quakes makes it impossible to access most of the villages. I broke down when I saw the devastation and the helpless environment survivors were in.”
Despite the devastation, Dr. Wahida immediately sprang into action, determined to save as many lives as possible.
“I could not wait until my team finished setting up the temporary medical tent. I believed I could save some more women and children. I looked around, and there was no standing structure, from schools, health facilities, mosques and wells; everything collapsed.
I saw dozens of women and girls each day, mostly sad and dehydrated. They could hardly speak or hear me. Almost all of the patients I have seen were going through some form of psychological trauma.”
Over the next 10 weeks, we reached over 30,000 affected people in 3 of the hardest-hit districts- Gulran, Injil and Zindajan- with humanitarian aid that included clean drinking water, hygiene kits, and emergency latrines to provide dignity to affected communities and minimise the spread of diseases due to open defecation.
We also provided those affected by the quakes with temporary shelters and cash assistance.
A long road to recovery
A year on from the earthquakes, and there are still thousands of people in Herat still suffering as Umair Hasan, Islamic Relief’s Country Director in Afghanistan, explains:
“Survivors are still relentlessly struggling to make ends meet. The situation is further compounded by recent flooding, a devastating event that swept away crops and heavily impacted their makeshift dwellings,” Umair explains.
“There are grave concerns about a potential disease outbreak due to the extensive damage to sanitation and water systems, particularly the risk of acute watery diarrhoea (AWD). The absence of community-based learning centres and schools has also disrupted children’s education. The soaring summer temperatures are particularly harsh on families sheltering in makeshift homes not far from where their homes once stood.”
Islamic Relief is still on the ground in Herat, delivering aid to the communities most in need.
Over the past 12 months we have delivered an extensive number of projects and interventions aimed at restoring the lives of those affected, reaching more than 110,000 people with vital assistance across 55 villages.
We have built 145 permanent quake-resilient shelters and installed 18 water tanks, while also delivering cash assistance to more than 4,500 families.
Other projects have included supporting farmers with 3,000 animal feed packages benefitting 8,000 animals and constructing 40 animal sheds.
“We are collaborating closely with local authorities and international NGOs, including the UN, to deliver quality and timely humanitarian services to the affected populations.” Umair says.
“Islamic Relief was among the first responders hitting the ground in October 2023 and we are continuing to important support to thousands of families to improve their overall well-being.”
With your generous support, we can continue to support earthquake-affected communities in Afghanistan. Please support our lifesaving work and donate today.
