Afghanistan was hit by another earthquake just days after a major quake left thousands dead and injured.
The latest earthquake, with a magnitude of 5.2, struck on Tuesday, Sept. 2, about 21 miles (34 kilometers) northeast of Jalalabad, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It had a depth of about 6 miles (10 kilometers).
This comes as officials confirmed that the death toll from the earlier 6.0-magnitude quake on Sunday, Aug. 31, has risen to more than 1,411 people, with over 3,000 injured, The Guardian reported.
The Sunday quake hit Kunar province, near Jalalabad, and affected nearby provinces including Nangarhar, Laghman, Nuristan, and Panjshir, according to Hasht-e Sobh and Khaama Press. Many victims were trapped under collapsed buildings, and the mountainous terrain has made rescue efforts more difficult, Hewad reported.
At the time of the disaster, Taliban authorities used helicopters to evacuate victims since landslides and rough terrain blocked access to many areas.
On Tuesday, the United Nations said aid workers were still trying to reach survivors. Indrika Ratwatte, the U.N.’s top aid official in Afghanistan, warned that the disaster could affect “hundreds of thousands” of people through destroyed homes, injuries, deaths, loss of livestock, and damaged livelihoods.
The U.N. said its humanitarian air service has added more flights between Jalalabad and Kabul to deliver workers and supplies. Ratwatte noted that Afghanistan was already facing severe challenges, with half the population needing aid and drought worsening food shortages.
“The earthquake comes at a time where vulnerable communities are going to be super-exposed to additional stresses,” Ratwatte said.
On Tuesday, deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said search and rescue operations were still underway. “Dozens of commandos have been airlifted to areas where planes could not land to pull out the injured from the rubble and transport them to a suitable location,” he said, according to ABC News.
International support has also started arriving. Britain pledged $1.35 million to the U.N. and Red Cross, while India sent 1,000 family tents to Kabul and is delivering 15 tons of food to Kunar, Al Jazeera reported. The European Union also approved $1.16 million in aid and said it would provide 130 tons of supplies, including tents and clothing.
“Afghanistan remains one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly 23 million people estimated to need humanitarian assistance this year,” the EU said in a statement. “Some 12.6 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity, and mass repatriations of Afghans from neighboring countries in past months have further increased the population’s needs.”
