A UN report confirms 5,230 homes destroyed and hundreds more damaged in Afghanistan earthquake, affecting nearly 500,000 people.
KABUL: The United Nations has reported that 5,230 homes were completely destroyed and another 672 damaged in 49 Afghan villages following the devastating 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck on 31st August. The quake, centred in the country’s mountainous eastern region, killed at least 2,200 people — a figure that may rise as search and recovery efforts continue.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says the situation remains critical, especially in hard-to-reach rural communities. Shannon O’Hara, Head of Strategy and Coordination at OCHA Afghanistan, noted that damaged roads and rugged terrain are preventing access to the majority of the 441 affected villages.
Compounding the crisis, a series of aftershocks — some reaching magnitudes between 5.2 and 5.6 — have further complicated relief efforts. According to the UN, as many as 500,000 people may have been impacted, with more than half being children.
The destruction of homes and infrastructure is also raising concerns about long-term displacement, healthcare access, and winter readiness in an already fragile humanitarian landscape. Aid agencies are calling for urgent support to deliver shelter, medical assistance, and food supplies to affected families.
