Ghazni, Baghlan residents collect aid for earthquake victims
The State Ministry for Disaster Management said more than 3,000 houses have been destroyed due to the recent earthquake that shook southeast Afghanistan.
The deputy State Minister for Disaster Management, Ghulam Ghaws Nasiri, said the rescue operations have not finished and there is the possibility of a spike in reported casualties.
“More than 3,000 residences are partially and fully destroyed. The people lost their goods and livestock. The financial losses which the people have suffered are estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars,” he said.
The people affected by the earthquake in the provinces of Khost and Paktika called on the international community to provide them with humanitarian support.
“The people have come from other districts to help with the digging of graveyards. The people in Giyan districts have suffered heavy casualties,” said a resident of Paktika.
“Around 1,500 to 1,600 residences have been destroyed. Many areas of the district have been damaged,” said a resident of Paktika.
The earthquake hit Barmal, Nika, Giyan and Zirok districts of Paktika and Spiri district of Khost province.
“The people suffered a lot in this earthquake. We call on the Islamic countries and the international community to help the people of Afghanistan,” said Shamsuddin Haqyar, head of the department of Natural Disaster Management.
Many humanitarian organizations, foreign countries as well as Afghan traders announced they would provide humanitarian aid to the vulnerable people affected by the earthquake.
Meanwhile, residents of the provinces of Ghazni and Baghlan have started a campaign to gather aid for the affected families of the recent devastating earthquake in the southeast region of Afghanistan.
According to those involved, the aid includes money, food, cash, and other items.
“The youth have started this campaign to help the victims of the earthquake that hit Khost, Paktika, Paktia and Nangarhar provinces,” said Mawlawi Mustafa Allah Hashemi, head of Information and Culture of Baghlan.
“Everyone should take part in this campaign, and we should get united in order to help the affected families of the earthquake,” said Javid, another resident of Ghazni.
These residents also urge the citizens of the country to provide assistance to victims’ families of the recent deadly earthquake.
“All of our countrymen should take part in this campaign so that it reaches the families of victims who need medicine and other things,” said Lutfullah, a resident of Ghazni.
“We have collected about 40,000 afghanis so far,” said Abdul Rahman, a member of the Ghazni aid fundraiser.
Foreign countries and aid agencies have provided assistance to the families affected by Wednesday’s earthquake.
