Authorities airdrop food, essentials as Afghanistan reels from devastating earthquake

• Official tells Anadolu they are dropping prepared food, essential items in areas where vehicles cannot reach due to blocked roads
• So far, 2,205 have been killed, 3,640 injured in Kunar province since deadly Sunday quake

ISLAMABAD

Afghan authorities have begun airdropping food and other essential items for affected people in remote areas where roads were blocked due to the devastating Sunday earthquake, an official said on Friday.

A local official of the interim administration in Kunar province told Anadolu on condition of anonymity that they are dropping prepared food and essential items through helicopters in those areas where vehicles cannot reach due to blocked roads.

"Some roads in remote mountainous areas are still blocked, and aftershocks created significant difficulties for rescue teams to clear them," he said.

According to the Afghan Red Crescent, the death toll in Kunar province, the epicenter of the earthquake, has climbed to at least 2,205, with 3,640 injured.

At least 12 deaths have already been reported in Nangarhar province, and the overall injuries in all provinces have surpassed 4,000. Over 8,000 houses have been destroyed, the Afghan Red Crescent said.

Earlier, Amy Martin, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)’s head of office for Afghanistan, told Anadolu that rescue and relief efforts are being hampered by aftershocks, blocked roads, and the sheer scale of destruction.

She added that Kunar province has been particularly devastated, with entire villages destroyed.

International support also started to arrive on Friday. The Chinese Red Cross donated $200,000 to the interim administration, while the Japanese ambassador to Kabul, Takayoshi Kuromiya, also delivered humanitarian aid to local officials.

The emergency relief package includes 250 tents, 1,620 blankets, 1,620 sleeping pads, and 250 water storage jerrycans, according to the Afghan Red Crescent.

The US Geological Survey recorded the quake at 11.47 pm local time (1917GMT) Sunday, when most residents were asleep, 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) east-northeast of Jalalabad at a depth of 8 kilometers (5 miles).

It was the third major earthquake to hit the war-torn nation since the Afghan Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.