Afghanistan needs quake, famine relief
We must help Afghanistan after a devastating earthquake, which has killed or wounded thousands across at least two provinces. The 6.1 magnitude quake was even felt in Pakistan and India.
Homes have been leveled in the Eastern Patika province of Afghanistan, with rescue missions underway. The Khost province was also impacted. The casualties are expected to rise significantly over a period of many days, especially with Afghanistan’s mountainous regions making it difficult for accessibility.
Dr. Mohamed Ayoyao of UNICEF Afghanistan says: “We don’t yet know the full extent of the devastation .... These numbers are expected to grow as reports continue to come in.”
Many of the victims who have lost homes are living in the open. According to the UN: “Given the unseasonable, heavy rains and cold, emergency shelter is an immediate priority.”
It’s vital we remember how weakened Afghanistan is from years of conflict and natural disasters. Since the U.S. military left the country in August, the humanitarian crisis has become drastically worse.
Afghanistan is on the brink of famine. People are starving to death on a daily basis, but this tragedy has gotten very little attention. Drought has taken a severe toll on Afghanistan, ruining food production. In other parts of the country, flooding has destroyed homes and agriculture.
According to the UN World Food Program in Afghanistan “All 34 provinces are facing crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity.” That’s almost 20 million people affected by this extreme level of hunger, meaning they are on the doorstep of starvation.
Children are most impacted by malnutrition, which causes lasting physical and mental damage, or death. Afghanistan has been suffering for years from high rates of child malnutrition and needs help to prevent this tragedy.
Hunger will be on the rise again because of the earthquake. But yet the UN World Food Program is facing a major funding shortage. In a press release issued after the earthquake, WFP says it’s requesting US $1.15 billion for the next six months of relief in Afghanistan.
It is clear we must send help to Afghanistan for earthquake relief but also to prevent famine. Afghanistan has been lost from the headlines, but needs to get back there quickly or the people will continue to suffer
Everyone can do something to help. You can donate to charities in Afghanistan including WFP, Save the Children, UNICEF, Catholic Relief Services, CARE, Norwegian Refugee Council, Action against Hunger, World Vision, and many others.
You can write to your representative in Congress urging humanitarian aid for Afghanistan. Help was needed before the earthquake, but now the situation is going to deteriorate further without robust and timely assistance.
We have a special bond with the Afghan people, the ordinary citizens of the country. We must come to their aid to save lives from the earthquake and hunger.