A series of four shallow, strong earthquakes and aftershocks rocked Herat province in Western Afghanistan in October 2023, each with a magnitude of 6.3. 

This is one of the most devastating disasters to hit Afghanistan in decades.

It is estimated that at least 1,500 people lost their lives, and over 175,000 people in nine districts directly affected, with Injil and Zinjadan districts suffering the most severe consequences. Entire villages in these areas have been flattened, with approximately 21,500 homes completely destroyed and over 17,000 other buildings damaged. In a distressing update, the UN have estimated that of those who have lost their lives in the quakes, 90% are women & children.⁠

Why is Afghanistan prone to earthquakes?

Afghanaid is coordinating with partners to assess needs and deliver humanitarian assistance to those that need it most, especially families in particularly hard-to-reach communities who are struggle to reach services in district centres. Our partners have already been able to reach hundreds people with support, and with your help, we will be able to deliver vital aid to many hundreds more in the coming weeks and months to help the most vulnerable.

With the winter fast approaching, families affected by this disaster need continued support to access their basic necessities: many families have lost all of their possessions in the earthquakes. This means as well as emergency food, cash and shelter, they also need items like warm coats, boots, gloves, blankets and heating equipment to survive the freezing temperatures. 

Please Donate To Our Emergency Appeal

Abdul Rahman Tariq, Director of Programme Implementation at Afghanaid, said:

Thousands of people in the area of Herat have been deeply impacted by this terrible earthquake. Families have lost their loved ones, their homes, their livelihoods.

"This is another devastating event in the ongoing humanitarian emergency in Afghanistan. Currently, 90% of the population is affected by poverty. This means many families in this remote area of the country would have already been struggling to find food, employment, and stay out of debt - the World Bank last week warned that two thirds of Afghan families currently face significant challenges in maintaining their livelihoods. Now, they have been hit with one of the worst earthquake disasters we've seen in years.

"It will be extremely hard for survivors to meet their needs and start to rebuild their lives without support from agencies like Afghanaid. Our team is closely monitoring the situation and working hard to deliver a quick and effective response. Alongside our partners, we are mobilising emergency provisions, including cash, food and shelter support.

"Funding is needed to ensure the most vulnerable can meet their needs at this difficult time, and that neighbouring communities have the resources they need to welcome those who have had to leave their homes in search of safety, and help them to rebuild."

We need your help

We urgently need donations to mobilise an emergency response with our partners. Please donate what you can today to ensure we can support the most vulnerable:

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About Afghanaid

In 1983, Afghanaid was formed as an organisation in Peshawar, Pakistan to provide support for Afghan refugees fleeing conflict, and has since worked in 31 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces. As Afghanistan continues to grapple with the consequences of four decades of conflict and insecurity, alongside increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather and natural disasters, Afghanaid continues to deliver livelihood support, strengthen the rights of women, protect communities against climate change and deliver basic needs in some of the most hard to reach places in the country. Working with a community-led approach, the organisation works every day to ensure ordinary Afghans continue to be active participants in shaping a brighter, more inclusive and prosperous Afghanistan.