By: Yuer Li

The deadliest earthquake to hit Afghanistan in decades was a 5.9 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 1,000 people and injured 1,600 others. While residents were grieving their losses and assessing the damage, other Afghans began providing aid to the devastated region: a remote area in the southeast known as the Geyan District. Questions remain about the Taliban government, and whether they will be able to provide the massive humanitarian effort needed for the hit area, where many residents are now homeless.

Geyan is one of the areas hit hardest by the earthquake. Because some residents live in homes made from straw and clay, it was very easy for them to be wiped out by the earthquake. The roads to Geyan were abundant with cars carrying bread, flour, rice, and blankets. Ambulances raced to injured people who couldn’t make it to the hospital while military helicopters droned overhead. However, the roads are punishing. There are steep mountainsides and downhill slopes.

The earthquake is testing President Biden’s refusal to avoid aid to the Taliban. Ever since the Taliban took over the country in 2021, the Biden administration cut off its access to $7 billion in foreign currency held in the US. So far, the Biden administration has rejected entreaties to fund the Afghan government, insisting the Taliban meet its earlier promises to allow women the freedom to go to school and work and deny sanctuary to terrorist groups.

Why was a moderately strong earthquake so deadly?

One reason was it happened in the middle of the night, when everyone was asleep. If it was in the daytime, people would have had more time to reach safety. Another reason was the construction of the houses. They were made of mud, which collapses when there is too much tension.

Cholera is also now a deadly threat. The UN warned that at least 770 people have already died of it, with many more to come.

Article Link: Need for Aid Is Critical in Afghanistan After Devastating Earthquake – The New York Times (nytimes.com)