NEWS BRIEF
Afghanistan faces an intergenerational crisis as back-to-back earthquakes destroy homes, livestock, and irrigation systems—wiping out the primary assets of rural families—while limited aid and a harsh winter threaten to prolong recovery for years. With over 2,200 dead, 6,700 homes ruined, and 1.3 million livestock affected, the disaster compounds existing economic collapse, deportations, and drought, straining a nation already isolated by sanctions and dwindling humanitarian attention.
WHAT HAPPENED
- A magnitude 6 earthquake and powerful aftershocks hit eastern Afghanistan in late August, killing 2,200 people, destroying 6,700 homes, and affecting over 500,000.
- Livestock losses are severe: 1.3 million animals impacted, 7,000 killed, and critical irrigation systems damaged, endangering food security and planting seasons.
- Families shelter under tents amid ongoing aftershocks, with winter approaching and inadequate aid delivery.
- The UN appealed for $140 million, but funding lags as global focus shifts to Ukraine and Gaza, and the Taliban’s restrictions on women aid workers deter donors
WHY IT MATTERS
- Rural Afghan households store wealth primarily in homes, land, and livestock—all decimated by the quakes, erasing generational assets and livelihoods.
- The disaster exacerbates Afghanistan’s existing crises: economic sanctions, mass deportations from Pakistan/Iran, drought, and reduced aid since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover.
- Damage to irrigation and grain stores threatens long-term food production, risking malnutrition and economic decline for years.
IMPLICATIONS
- Recovery could span generations without sustained aid, as households lack resources to rebuild homes, restock livestock, or replant crops.
- Winter will deepen humanitarian suffering, with displaced families facing extreme cold without adequate shelter or supplies.
- Donor fatigue and Taliban governance disputes may leave Afghanistan increasingly vulnerable to future disasters.
- Regional stability could weaken as poverty and desperation rise, potentially fueling migration or instability.
This briefing is based on information from Reuters.
