Afghanistan’s earthquake death toll has passed 1,400

Jalalabad, Afghanistan (AP) – The United Nations Major earthquake In eastern Afghanistan, as the Taliban said deaths passed 1,400 on Tuesday, causing more than 3,000 people to be injured.

The figures provided by Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid were only for the Kunar province.

A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake on Sunday night hit several states, causing great damage. It flattened the village and was trapped under the tile bleeds of houses built of mud bricks and timber that most could not withstand the shock.

The rough terrain is hampering rescue and relief efforts, forcing Taliban authorities to broadcast dozens of commands to evacuate injured people from places where helicopters cannot land.

Aid agency Save the Children said one of the teams walked over 12 miles (19 kilometers) to arrive at a village cut off in Rock Falls, carrying medical equipment to their backs with the help of community members.

A 5.2 aftershock rattled the area Tuesday, near the epicenter of Sunday’s trembling epicenter, according to the US Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage.

Indrika Ratwatte, UN Afghanistan resident coordinator, said rescuers were caught up in a “race against time” to reach mountainous and remote hits. During a media briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, he warned about a surge in casualties.

“We can’t afford to forget Afghan people facing multiple crises, multiple shocks and community resilience,” Ratwatte said, urging the international community to move forward.

“These are life and death decisions while we compete with time to reach people,” he said.

that’s right The third major earthquake Since the Taliban The seized force 2021 and the latest crisis that has plagued Afghanistan. Deep cuts to support fundingthe weak economic, and Millions of people They were forced to return it from Iran and Pakistan.

Ratwatte said that when the walls of wooden and mud houses collapse, the roof falls on the residents, causing injuries and death. The area was low density, but an earthquake struck when everyone was sleeping.

“If you model it based on what happened previously, it’s not clear that the casualty rate will be quite exponential,” he said.

Aid is dripping to help the victim

The Taliban government, which is only recognized by Russia, is seeking support from the international community and the humanitarian sector. However, Afghan help is lacking due to competing global crisis and cuts in aid budgets from suppliers.

The UK has pledged to £1 million ($1.3 million) that it will be split into humanitarian institutions rather than going to the Taliban government.

The European Union has sent 130 tons of emergency supplies and is offering 1 million euros ($1.16 million). Other countries, including the United Arab Emirates, India and China, have pledged disaster relief assistance.

However, the earthquake victims are bruntled against Taliban government, particularly restrictive policies against girls and women in Afghanistan. Prohibited I work for an NGO. Donor countries had already cut back on funding, but earlier this year the US thwarted aid to Afghanistan. Money was on the way To the Taliban regime.

Kate Carey, deputy director of the United Nations office for the coordination of humanitarian cooperation in Afghanistan, said that more than 420 health facilities have been closed or suspended. “Major reductions” In fundraising, 80 of them are at the centre of Sunday’s trembling in the eastern region.

“As a result, the remaining facilities are overwhelming, inadequate supply and personnel, and are less affected than the more local facilities when providing emergency trauma care in the first 24-72 hours of earthquake response,” Carey said.

Taliban authorities have established camps in Kunar to organize supply and emergency aid. There are also two centres that coordinate transport of injured people, burial of the dead and rescue of survivors.

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Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten contributed to this report.