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A severe earthquake has struck the eastern Afghanistan region. Over 800 fatalities are expected. ADRA Afghanistan is currently assessing the need for relief efforts and is working closely with other organizations and local institutions to ensure these measures can begin as quickly as possible. The ADRA network, including ADRA Germany, is coordinating the financing and procurement of the necessary relief supplies.
Weiterstadt, September 2, 2025. On August 31, 2025, at 11:47 PM local time, a powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck the eastern provinces of Afghanistan. The epicenter was in the Kuz Kunar district of Kunar Province, just 8 to 10 kilometers below the Earth's surface. The devastating tremors were felt as far away as the Afghan capital, Kabul, 100 miles from the epicenter, as well as in Pakistan. ADRA Germany, together with the international ADRA network, is preparing comprehensive emergency relief measures.
Catastrophic damage in crisis-ridden region
The provinces of Nangarhar, Kunar, Laghman, and Nuristan are the worst affected. At least 812 people have been killed, but the death toll could rise to over 1,100. Between 2,800 and 3,500 people have been injured. Hundreds of people remain trapped under the rubble, as search and rescue efforts are significantly hampered by landslides, persistent aftershocks, and heavy rains.
The situation is particularly dire in the Chawkay and Nurgal districts of Kunar Province, where entire villages have been razed to the ground. Access to the Mazar Valley in Nurgal and the Dewagal Valley in Chawkay is blocked by landslides, forcing rescue workers to walk two to three hours beyond the roadblocks.
Tens of thousands of people in acute need
According to initial estimates by the United Nations, around 12,000 people have been directly affected by the earthquake. Thousands of families in the four provinces have been left homeless and are forced to sleep in the open or in makeshift shelters without adequate protection. With winter approaching in eastern Afghanistan, the lack of adequate shelter, heating, and winter supplies is becoming a life-threatening situation.
The earthquake disaster is hitting communities already under extreme strain: They are still struggling with the effects of the summer floods and are having to accommodate thousands of returnees from Pakistan. Hospitals in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces are completely overwhelmed. There is a desperate shortage of surgical instruments, blood supplies, and additional medical personnel.
ADRA coordinates international relief efforts
ADRA Afghanistan is monitoring and analyzing the evolving situation on the ground and is in close contact with the local humanitarian response teams in Nangarhar and Kunar. The organization is actively collaborating with national and regional humanitarian clusters and coordinating with the Afghan Disaster Management Agency (ANDMA), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the Afghan Red Crescent, the World Food Programme, and other humanitarian organizations.
ADRA is currently mobilizing personnel from Kabul and coordinating with local volunteers to conduct rapid needs assessments in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces. Despite the challenging security situation and mountainous terrain, ADRA is preparing a comprehensive relief effort as soon as the necessary resources become available.
The international ADRA network, including ADRA Germany, is preparing to mobilize emergency resources and procure life-saving supplies. In the coming days, ADRA will develop a detailed relief plan to provide assistance to people on the ground as quickly as possible.
Urgent help needed
The affected families urgently need food, clean drinking water, emergency shelter, and medical care. With your donations, we can help the people of Afghanistan in this catastrophic situation and provide life-saving aid.
Your donation under the heading "Afghanistan Emergency Aid" can save lives and bring hope to people in this desperate situation. Thanks to your support, we can alleviate the suffering on the ground and provide people with drinking water, food, hygiene products, and winter-proof emergency shelters. Donate to our donation account IBAN DE36 3702 0500 0007 7040 00 or at adra.de/spenden .
