GENEVA: The number of victims from earthquakes in Afghanistan is expected to rise in the coming days, as new tremors have caused additional road destruction and landslides, complicating rescue efforts, Joy Singhal, the head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) delegation in Afghanistan, told Sputnik/RIA Novosti.
Approximately 40 mobile medical and rescue teams are currently operating in Afghanistan, while local authorities have allocated several helicopters to evacuate people to nearby hospitals, Singhal said. However, these efforts are not sufficient to address the crisis, because the teams cannot reach all affected locations, he said.
Due to a lack of funding, IFRC teams in Afghanistan have been forced to reduce staff and disband some volunteers, Singhal added, urging to provide the IFRC with additional personnel and medical equipment. The issue is not only about the post-earthquake recovery but also about the future livability of these areas, as many families have lost their livestock, and drinking water sources have been damaged, with homes being destroyed, he said.
Singhal also urged the entire international community to support Afghanistan. While more and more people arrive in Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran, the population of the country faces such issues as malnutrition and extreme levels of food insecurity, which creates additional vulnerability and challenges for humanitarian workers, he said.
A 6.0 magnitude earthquake shook eastern Afghanistan around midnight on August 31. It was followed by aftershocks. On Thursday, the Ariana News portal reported that the death toll from the earthquake in Afghanistan exceeded 2,200, with over 3,600 people injured – BERNAMA-SPUTNIK