Afghanistan: Herat Earthquake Response Plan (October 2023 - March 2024) [EN/Dari/Pashto]

Overview

This multi-sectoral Herat Earthquake Response Plan requires approximately $93.6 million to support 114,000 earthquake-affected people in Herat. Assistance is urgently required to address the critical, time-sensitive needs of the most vulnerable populations throughout the winter months in earthquake affected areas. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, affected families are in urgent need of temporary shelter, food and cash assistance, safe water and WASH supplies, as well as emergency healthcare and protection. With the harsh winter months fast approaching, families will need transitional shelter assistance, winter clothing, warm blankets, and heating materials to avert exposure to extremely cold temperatures.

The humanitarian needs, response activities, and financial requirements outlined in this response plan will be absorbed into the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), which already accounts for 150,000 people being affected by natural disasters this year. Prior to the earthquakes, 26,000 people had been impacted by floods so far in 2023. Should additional needs emerge, they will be incorporated into the forthcoming 2024 HRP. This earthquake response plan also acknowledges the important role that basic human needs actors will need to play in providing longer-term recovery support to affected households, and thus focuses on the provision of immediate, life-saving assistance.

Context and Needs Overview

Between 7 and 15 October, four powerful (6.3 magnitude) earthquakes struck Herat Province, affecting 1.6 million people with high intensity shaking (MMI 6+) and leaving at least 114,000 in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Preliminary assessments show that the first two earthquakes on 7 and 11 October left 1,480 people dead and 1,950 wounded, with available satellite imagery indicating that 289 villages were very highly (11), highly (110) or moderately (168) impacted. An estimated 30 new villages across two districts were affected by the 15 October earthquake, with assessments ongoing.

To date, nearly 43,400 people across six districts are reported to be directly affected by the recent earthquakes, with Injil and Zinjadin districts worst affected. More than half of all earthquake-affected people are in Injil, with the majority of the more than 3,330 destroyed homes assessed to date located in Zinjadin. Schools, health facilities, and other infrastructure also impacted by the earthquakes, with 21,300 buildings estimated to have shelters, or in informal settlement sites, leaving them vulnerable to weather, health and other protection hazards.

The earthquakes have struck vulnerable communities – which are already grappling with decades of conflict and under-development – and left them with little resilience to cope with multiple simultaneous shocks. They come at the start of Afghanistan’s lean season and immediately before winter, when households’ food resources are most constrained or depleted. Extensive damage to water and sanitation points has raised concerns of disease outbreaks, particularly acute watery diarrhoea (AWD). Immediate investment into activities to detect and prevent the spread of AWD and other infectious diseases will be critical. With damage to schools and community-based education facilities, children need to safely resume education. Protection support is also needed, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women and children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. sustained damage. Following the earthquakes, families are living in the open, in makeshift