Situation:
Verified reports have not changed in the past 24 hours. As such, the verified situation remains that the 26 October 2015 earthquake, the epicentre of which was in north-eastern Afghanistan, has resulted in 83 persons killed and 394 injured, with the provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar registering the highest numbers of fatalities and casualties. Property damage has been most extensive nearest the epicentre in Badakhshan province, where 414 homes have been reported destroyed and 1,306 damaged. Assessments in Baghlan Province have confirmed that no education, health or water-sanitation facilities were damaged. Assessments:
The map below (“Overview of Reported Damages and Affected Population”) pinpoints where assessments have not yet been completed. In the 13 affected provinces, 355 villages are awaiting assessment reports, and this is primarily due to access constraints including the topography of the area. Some of the most remote villages require the assessment teams to walk for 2-3 days in order to gain access. The majority of these outstanding assessments are in the eastern provinces of the affected areas. Needs:
The map to the right (“Districts potentially blocked by snow during the winter season”) is based on historical weather patterns in the quake-affected areas of the country. The heavy snowfall predicted in northeast Afghanistan over the next few days, underscores the urgency of emergency shelter and winterization response activities. As topography and security access constraints to quake-affected areas have already resulted in significant response challenges, any major accumulation of snow will inevitably exacerbate these on-going access difficulties. Response:
The limited reports to date on response activities indicate that humanitarian assistance has begun in 19 districts and 20 humanitarian partners have committed to providing humanitarian assistance. Those response activities have focused on shelter, food, non-food items, hygiene and the distribution of cash and include the provision of food (or cash in place of food) to 180 families in 7 provinces, non-food items to 1,272 families and shelter assistance to 282 families.
In Baghlan Province, health assistance is on-going while shelter, non-food item, food, protection and water-sanitation-hygiene activities are planned. Assessments indicate that there are sufficient stocks of these items available to meet needs. In Takhar Province, the distribution of requisite assistance has been completed in three districts (Farkhar, Taloqa and Namakab). Shelter, food and non-food item assistance is planned for families with both damaged and destroyed houses. Additional health, protection and water-sanitation-hygiene activities are also planned. In Badakhstan Province, non-food items have been distributed to 332 families, tents to 154 families and food to 100 families. Additionally, 500 hygiene kits and 50 tents have been committed to the response. There are enough food stocks. In the Central Region, reports indicate that there are no families living without shelter provision. 25 tents have been committed in Logar.
Response activities have commenced in certain districts in the Eastern Region with many NGOs favouring a cash-based response. Resources available are assessed as being sufficient to respond to the affected population. While access challenges remain in Kamdesh and Bargi.Matal districts of Nuristan, humanitarian partners continue to ensure that beneficiaries in both districts (160 and 91 families respectively) receive assessment based assistance. In Takhar Province, similar access issues exist for Baharak and Khwajaghar districts. Coordination:
On 1 November, Provincial Disaster Management Committee (PDMC) meetings will be held in Panjsher, Badakhshan and Baghlan provinces and a Regional Humanitarian Team (RHT) meeting will take place in Takhar Province. PDMCs in Kunar, Laghman, Nangarhar and Nuristan provinces, have incorporated RHT activities into their role.