Earthquake Emergency - Help Children in Afghanistan

EMERGENCY UPDATE - 16 October 2023

On 15 October at 8 a.m. local time, another 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan. This comes after two devastating earthquakes – one 6.3-magnitude on 7 October and one 6.3-magnitude on 11 October - had already wreaked havoc.

In the first two major earthquakes, over 1,300 people were reported to have died, 90 per cent being women and children, and over 1,800 people were injured. Zinda Jan district in Herat province was the epicentre of the first earthquake and remains the most affected district, where over 95 per cent of homes have been destroyed.

UNICEF is scaling up the ongoing response, delivering life-saving supplies across health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, and child protection intervention.

Please donate to support UNICEF’s ongoing work in emergency response and long-term development programs that help better the lives of children and their families in Afghanistan. __________________________________________________________________________________

On top of this unfolding situation, 1 million children are at risk of dying due to severe acute malnutrition without immediate treatment.

We need your support to help reach children and families in urgent need.
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A triple crisis for children in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is facing three crises at once: the worst drought in nearly 40 years, rising food prices and outbreaks of preventable diseases. Families are being crushed by poverty and hunger.

• More than 730,000 people have been forced to flee their homes because of conflict since January 2021.
• Half of the population – including more than 13 million children – need humanitarian assistance.
• Nearly 8 million children need access to education.

Too many lack families lack warm clothing and live in shelters that do not protect against the elements. UNICEF provides emergency cash payments to vulnerable families that enable them to meet their basic needs with dignity, such as food, fuel, health care, clothing and education.

Our teams have been in Afghanistan for 65 years and even in the face of the escalating crisis, our work for the children and families will continue. We have a presence in every region of the country – but we can’t do this without you.

How UNICEF is helping children in Afghanistan

Even in the face of the escalating crisis, UNICEF's work for children and families across every region of the country continues.

Thanks to support from generous people like you, our teams are on the ground:

• providing medical care to displaced families.
• delivering emergency water and sanitation facilities.
• vaccinating babies against polio and other preventable diseases.
• treating children for severe acute malnutrition.
• giving cash assistance to families struggling to buy food and clothing for their children.

UNICEF is there before, during and after an emergency.

Please, donate now to help provide life-saving care.

In the unlikely event that UNICEF receives more funds than required to respond to the emergency in Afghanistan your gift will help support UNICEF’s work to support children in emergencies around the world.