Devastating earthquake in Afghanistan: HI is preparing an emergency response

A devastating earthquake

It is almost midnight on 31 August 2025 when a magnitude 6.0 earthquake strikes eastern Afghanistan, not far from the border with Pakistan. The epicentre is near the city of Jalalabad, one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the country.

The initial quake and its aftershocks were shallow, exacerbating the devastating consequences in the four affected provinces. According to initial estimates by the United Nations, more than 1,400 people died and more than 3,000 were injured, figures that are expected to rise as rescue operations continue. A new quake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale struck the region the following day.

The damage is extensive: homes destroyed, infrastructure damaged, roads blocked, entire villages cut off from the world by landslides... Nearly 12,000 people have been directly affected. However, difficulties in accessing the area – destroyed roads, rugged field, cut-off communications – are complicating the deployment of humanitarian aid.

Considerable needs

Many families have lost everything and thousands of people are forced to survive in difficult conditions, without shelter, medical care or basic necessities. Among them are people with disabilities, children, the elderly and women, who face multiple barriers to accessing emergency assistance.

Many survivors have suffered serious injuries that may have lasting consequences: injuries caused by falling objects or collapsed buildings, fractures, sprains, dislocations, etc. They urgently need physical rehabilitation services to prevent long-term disabilities.

In addition, many of those affected are suffering from psychological trauma. Shock and anxiety are particularly widespread among populations affected by such disasters, and there is an urgent need to provide them with access to mental health and psychosocial support services.

HI mobilises for the emergency

Present in Afghanistan since 1987, HI is mobilising to intervene in the regions affected by the earthquake. The organisation is preparing to deploy a team on site to assess needs and define an emergency response, particularly in the Jalalabad area.

Specialising in emergency response, particularly after earthquakes, HI's rehabilitation and mental health teams could offer rehabilitation services (physical rehabilitation and provision of mobility aids such as walking sticks, wheelchairs or crutches), as well as psychological first aid.

Faced with a deteriorating humanitarian situation and overwhelmed health services, a large-scale mobilisation is needed to provide relief to the survivors of the disaster and offer them prospects for rebuilding their future.