KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The United Nations is appealing for more than $139 million to help hundreds of thousands of people affected by last week’s devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Tuesday it needs $139.6 million in emergency funding to carry out a four-month relief plan that will support nearly 457,000 people affected by the disaster. The aid will target families directly affected by the 6.0-magnitude quake, which struck on August 31 in Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman provinces.
“This is a moment where the international community must dig deep and show solidarity with a population that has already endured so much suffering,” Indrika Ratwatte, the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, said in a statement. “With winter fast approaching, we are in a race against time to support affected communities with just the bare minimum.”
The earthquake killed at least 2,200 people, injured more than 3,600, and left over 6,700 homes destroyed or badly damaged, according to Taliban officials. Entire villages in mountainous areas were flattened, forcing families to shelter in unsafe, makeshift structures. The UN says many families have lost their food supplies and livestock, leaving them at risk of hunger as cold weather nears.
OCHA said humanitarian partners are already on the ground delivering food, tents, blankets, warm clothing, and other essentials. The new funding would allow aid agencies to expand their operations in remote high-altitude areas before winter sets in. The assistance will cover multiple sectors, including shelter, clean water, food, healthcare, education, and agricultural support to protect both lives and livelihoods. Women, children, and other at-risk groups will remain the focus of the response, the agency added.
The quake also damaged critical infrastructure, including health facilities, schools, and water and sanitation systems, worsening conditions in a country already facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. More than half of Afghanistan’s population depends on aid after decades of war, political upheaval, and economic collapse.
The UN warns that without immediate support, fragile gains made in recent years could be lost. Ratwatte emphasized that Afghan resilience has been tested repeatedly and that international solidarity is urgently needed to prevent further suffering.
