Earthquake Relief for Afghan Families

Overview

In late August, a series of powerful earthquakes struck remote and mountainous regions of northern and eastern Afghanistan, causing widespread destruction, loss of life, and displacement. The hardest-hit areas included Kunar Province, Khulm District in Samangan Province, and villages along the Tashqurghan Gorge. These regions are difficult to access under normal conditions and became even more isolated due to landslides and damaged roads following the earthquakes

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake on August 31 caused at least 2,200 deaths and more than 3,600 injuries, leaving thousands of families without shelter as winter approached

Immediate Response

All Hands and Hearts, working with local partners, mobilized quickly to deliver life-saving assistance. A small local team of 12 members conducted rapid needs assessments, sourced essential relief items from local markets, and organized transport under challenging conditions, including the use of trucks and donkeys to cross steep terrain

In Kunar Province, aid was delivered to families in Andarlachak and nine other villages across Lachak, Chalas, and Badinzo. Some of these communities were located up to two hours’ walk from the nearest road and had been cut off for days due to landslides and ongoing aftershocks

Relief Distributions

Emergency distributions focused on meeting immediate shelter, warmth, and household needs:

• In Khulm District, Samangan Province, tents and blankets were distributed to 105 families living in and around the Tashqurghan Gorge, where approximately 200 families were affected by severe damage to homes and livelihoods.
  
  
• In Kunar Province, 100 families received critical items including solar panels, blankets, and kitchen sets, purchased in Kabul and transported to the affected villages.
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• Distributions were completed in three particularly remote villages that had limited access to markets and services.

Follow-Up Support

Based on needs identified by teams on the ground, a second round of distributions has been completed. This assistance included:

• One heater
• One traditional stove
• 50 kg of flour
• 15 liters of cooking oil
• 25 kg of rice

These items were selected to support an average household of seven people for approximately one month, helping families cope with displacement and winter conditions.

Thank you.