In the wake of a devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck western Afghanistan, the World Food Programme (WFP) has urgently appealed for $19 million to provide emergency food assistance to those affected by the recent seismic events. Ana Maria Salhuana, the deputy country director of the World Food Programme in Afghanistan, stressed the critical need for additional funding, highlighting the strain placed on an already severely underfunded program.
The earthquake, which hit part of western Afghanistan on Sunday, follows a series of major quakes that had already claimed thousands of lives and obliterated entire villages just a week prior. Remarkably, this latest event marked the fourth earthquake with a 6.3 magnitude to strike the same region within just over a week, according to the data from the US Geological Survey.
The initial quakes on October 7 had catastrophic consequences, flattening entire villages in Herat province and ranking among the most destructive seismic events in the country’s recent history. In response, WFP staff members wasted no time in delivering aid, distributing fortified biscuits, pulses, and other essential food items to affected families in the decimated villages.
The WFP emphasized the dire situation faced by the earthquake-stricken communities, stating, “Disasters like these earthquakes pound communities who are already barely able to feed themselves back into utter destitution.” With the immediate goal of providing emergency food assistance to 100,000 people in the region, the WFP’s appeal for $19 million aims to address the critical humanitarian needs created by these devastating earthquakes.
