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A devastating earthquake has struck eastern Afghanistan, with an estimated death toll of over 800. ADRA Afghanistan is currently assessing the need for relief efforts and is working closely with other organizations and local institutions to ensure these efforts can begin as quickly as possible. The ADRA network, including ADRA Germany, is coordinating the financing and procurement of the necessary aid supplies.
Weiterstadt, September 2, 2025. On August 31, 2025, at 11:47 p.m. local time, a powerful earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck the eastern provinces of Afghanistan. The epicenter was located in the Kuz Kunar district of Kunar province, only 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, and also in Pakistan. ADRA Germany, together with the international ADRA network, is preparing comprehensive emergency relief measures.
Catastrophic damage in crisis-stricken region
The provinces of Nangarhar, Kunar, Laghman, and Nuristan are the hardest hit. At least 812 people have died, but the death toll could rise to over 1,100. Between 2,800 and 3,500 people have been injured. Hundreds are still trapped under the rubble, as search and rescue efforts are severely hampered by landslides, ongoing 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. Landslides block access to the Mazar Valley in Nurgal and the Dewagal Valley in Chawkay, forcing rescue workers to walk for 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 outdoors or in makeshift shelters without adequate protection. With winter approaching in eastern Afghanistan, the lack of proper housing, 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 aftermath of the summer floods and have to accommodate thousands of returning refugees from Pakistan. Hospitals in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces are completely overwhelmed. There is a critical shortage of surgical instruments, blood supplies, and additional medical personnel.
ADRA coordinates international aid efforts
ADRA Afghanistan is monitoring and analyzing the evolving situation on the ground and is in close contact with local humanitarian teams in Nangarhar and Kunar. The organization actively collaborates with national and regional humanitarian clusters and coordinates with the Afghan National Disaster Management Agency (ANDMA), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Afghan Red Crescent, the World Food Programme, and other aid organizations.
ADRA is currently mobilizing staff from Kabul and coordinating with local volunteers to conduct rapid needs assessments in the Kunar and Nangarhar provinces. Despite the challenging security situation and mountainous terrain, ADRA is preparing comprehensive relief measures 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 aid 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. Your donations will enable us to help the people of Afghanistan in this catastrophic situation and provide life-saving assistance.
Your donation, earmarked for "Emergency Relief Afghanistan," 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 winterized emergency shelters. Donate to our account IBAN DE36 3702 0500 0007 7040 00 or at adra.de/spenden .
