Edited News | OCHA , UNITED NATIONS
$93.6 million needed to support earthquake-affected in Herat, says UN aid coordination agency
In the space of just eight days, three destructive 6.3 magnitude earthquakes rocked western Afghanistan’s province of Herat, killing 2,000 people and affecting 1.6 million, UN aid coordination agency OCHA said on Tuesday.
The high-intensity quakes have left thousands in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
Latest on-site reports indicate that 66,000 people have been affected “and this figure is going up as we continue our assessments”, said Daniel Endres, Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. for Afghanistan, speaking from Kabul to journalists in Geneva.
The initial quake destroyed entire villages made of mud-brick homes. Schools and health clinics were also flattened. Most vulnerable communities now live out in the open, in makeshift shelters, in freezing temperatures ahead of the winter months. First aid, medical supplies, food, hygiene kits, emergency shelter and basic household items are part of the initial relief assistance provided.
But important damage to water and sanitation points is raising concerns of waterborne and other infectious disease outbreaks. “There is now no water for the people. It needs to be tanked in and the water systems that are on the ground have been impacted by debris. There is a risk of diseases because the water is going to be contaminated,” warned Mr. Endres. “The bigger job of addressing an earthquake comes in the next 12 months, in the reconstruction of the infrastructure, water in particular, and then, of course, the destroyed homes.”
The Humanitarian Country Team launched a multi-sectoral Herat Earthquake Response Plan (HRP) of $93.6 million to support 114,00 earthquake-affected people in the province of Herat. The appeal comes against a backdrop of chronic funding deficits, however. “Our current HRP remains severely underfunded. We've only received 30 per cent of requirements to date (this year),” said Katherine Carey, OCHA Deputy Head of humanitarian affairs office in Afghanistan.
Humanitarian partners continue to coordinate with the de-facto authorities. “That collaboration has been positive, said Mr. Endres. They have virtually not restricted us in the outreach to the people and doing the assessments.” Women are treated by female medical personnel and the work of women is permitted. “That's happening,” he confirmed.
The UN health agency, WHO, has also deployed a team of 21 female healthcare workers, medical doctors and midwives to different clinics.
Earthquakes are common in Afghanistan where there are multiple fault lines and frequent seismic movement among three tectonic plates in the area.
Ends
TRT: 2’39”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 17 Oct. 2023
DATELINE: Bi-Weekly Press Briefing - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif on Tuesday presented a report on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, detailing the continued violations of human rights as a result of the offensive launched by the Rwandan-backed M23 in eastern DRC.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF , IFRC
UN humanitarians and partners on Tuesday expressed deep shock at the killing of 15 colleagues on duty in southern Gaza whose remains were recovered from a shallow grave after a week-long rescue operation, noting that one worker is still missing.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , OCHA , WHO , UNHCR
Myanmar earthquake latest: window for lifesaving support is closing, say UN humanitarians
As the death toll continues to rise in earthquake-struck Myanmar, UN humanitarians have been rushing to support severely deprived and traumatized victims, warning that the window for lifesaving response is closing.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNWOMEN , WHO
Lifesaving supplies in Gaza continue to run dangerously low, nearly four weeks into the total aid blockade and deadly bombardment of the enclave by Israel, UN humanitarians said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
As Yemen’s conflict reaches 10-year mark, over half a million children severely malnourished
In Yemen, a decade of conflict has been catastrophic for the country’s children living under the threat of airstrikes and staggeringly high malnutrition rates, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | UNAIDS
Amid continuing uncertainty about the impact of deep US funding cuts to humanitarian work worldwide, the head of the UN agency coordinating the fight against HIV-AIDS warned that an addition 6.3 million people will die in the next four years, unless the support is reinstated.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office today published a report detailing how death, injury and lasting family separation are among the traumatic events that have upended the lives of Ukraine’s children in the three years since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , UNICEF , IFRC
Israel’s renewed bombing campaign and intensifying ground operation in Gaza are reversing gains achieved during the brief ceasefire, UN humanitarians said on Friday from inside the devastated enclave.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC
The Human Rights Council on Wednesday heard gruesome testimony of torture, rape and execution of Ukrainian detainees and soldiers by Russian forces, as a high-level independent probe delivered its latest mandated report in Geneva.
2
23
1
1
Edited News , Press Conferences | UNITED NATIONS
Cyprus talks result in trust-building measures, show ‘new atmosphere’ among divided island’s leaders, says UN’s Guterres
UN-led efforts to kick-start talks on the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus have resulted in agreements on new trust-building measures and also underscored the positive “new atmosphere” surrounding the discussions, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday.
1
62
1
2
Edited News , Images | UNITED NATIONS , UNOG
Fresh talks over the future of Cyprus continued on Tuesday as representatives of the divided Mediterranean island gathered at the UN in Geneva along with guarantors Greece, Türkiye and the United Kingdom at the request of UN chief António Guterres.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG , WFP
The Government of Israel has ramped up settlement of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, transferring its own population into the territory and unlawfully demolishing Palestinian homes. At the same time settler violence has increased with continued impunity, the UN Human Rights Office said on Tuesday.