Two 6.3-magnitude earthquakes struck within 30 minutes of each other in Afghanistan’s Herat Province on the morning of Oct. 7, sending the region into a state of emergency and leaving villages demolished. 

There are at least 1,023 people dead, 1,663 injured and more than 500 missing. The death toll is expected to rise as rescues continue and aftershocks persist. With Afghanistan still recovering from last year’s earthquake and many aid programs cut due to the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, the country lacks the resources to support itself. 

Nonetheless, the United Nations and several other organizations including UNICEF, the Afghan Red Cross Society and the World Food Programme have announced their intent to provide aid. 

“The United Nations and our partners in Afghanistan are coordinating with the de facto authorities to swiftly assess needs and provide emergency assistance,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said. 

Hospitals are overwhelmed and unprepared with over 1,600 injured individuals needing treatment.

 “Fortunately, most of the patients arriving are non-emergency cases,” Doctors Without Borders representative Prue Coakley said. “However, many of them do not have homes to return to, that is why many of them are remaining in the hospital while authorities look for alternative places for them to stay.”  

On Monday, two days after the initial quakes, another aftershock at 4.3 magnitude struck the area and forced families out of their homes again. According to the UN, a total of 11,585 have been affected by these quakes.

World Vision Afghanistan’s advocacy lead, Mark Calder, expressed the country’s need for help from international governments. 

“Organizations like ours are able to provide relief and help recovery but without commitment from international governments and donors, more will fall into humanitarian need, displacement will increase and lives will be lost,” Calder said. “The world must not look away now.”

For information on how to help Afghanistan, visit the International Rescue Committee.