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US partners responding to Herat earthquake victims ‘with urgent aid’: Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States is carefully tracking the impact of Saturday’s earthquake in northwestern Afghanistan and that American aid agencies are assisting.
“Our humanitarian partners are responding with urgent aid in support of the people of Afghanistan,” Blinken said on X, formerly Twitter.
Belgium also said they are closely monitoring the situation.
“Terrible news from the west of Afghanistan, further worsening the humanitarian situation in the country. Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims of the tragic earthquake,” said Hadja Lahbib, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs in a post on X.
US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West also shared his condolences with Herat’s earthquake affected people.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families impacted by yesterday’s (Saturday’s) devastating earthquake in Afghanistan,” West said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha also offered his sincere condolences to the people of Afghanistan.
At the same time, Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held a telephonic conversation with Foreign Minister Khan Muttaqi, and discussed a range of issues.
The foreign ministry of Afghanistan said that during the conversation, Abdollahian shared his condolences and sympathies with the victims of the earthquake in Herat province.
“Mr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian expressed readiness to cooperate, and promised humanitarian aid to victims,” the ministry said.
Expressing gratitude to the Iranian Foreign Minister, Muttaqi updated his Iranian counterpart on the damage caused by the earthquake and the needs of the earthquake victims.
“Both counterparts stressed on fostering and strengthening the political and economic relations and cooperations between the two countries,” the ministry’s statement read.
More than 2,400 people were killed in a string of earthquakes that jolted Herat on Saturday, including two 6.3 magnitude quakes and a 5.9 magnitude aftershock. Almost 10,000 people were injured and thousands more left homeless.
The Japanese ambassador in Kabul, Takayoshi Kuromiya, met Saturday with Sader Azam Osmani, the Deputy of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, the meeting discussed Japan’s cooperation in these areas.
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations (MoRR) held Saturday an emergency meeting in Kabul attended by the humanitarian aid coordinator of the International Organization for Migration to instantly address the needs of recent flood victims in Baghlan province.
The ministry quoted Abdul Rahman Rahmani, head of the assistance coordination of the ministry, as saying that the goal of the meeting was to provide emergency assistance to flood victims and how to consider first aid.
According to reports, intense floods in Baghlan’s many districts have left hundreds of dead and injured.
The ministry stated that hundreds of houses have been destroyed and people are living in open space in the mountains.
Meanwhile, the ministry added that the figures are not yet final and the process of rescue operations is still ongoing with the cooperation of health teams.
At the meeting, Mohammad Omar Hashemi, the humanitarian aid coordinator of the International Organization for Migration, also assured that the organization is ready to provide urgent aid to the victims.
The World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday it can only support one in every three malnourished children across Afghanistan, highlighting the shortage of funding.
WFP said on X that there are three million malnourished children in Afghanistan.
“But we can only support 1 in every 3 malnourished children across Afghanistan,” WFP said. “Children bear the brunt of the assistance cuts. Sustained funding is vital.”
The World Food Program in Afghanistan had previously warned that the number of malnourished children visiting hospitals has increased this year following the reduction of foreign aid.
More than 23 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan this year, according to the United Nations. Over half of them are children.
In February, WFP announced a dire need for $760 million in food assistance for Afghanistan over the next six months.
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