Situation Report: Afghanistan Earthquake

Situation:

Between August 31-September 4, 2025, a series of earthquakes and aftershocks struck four provinces in Afghanistan. On Sunday, August 31, a powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar Province near the Pakistan border. Despite being moderate in magnitude, the earthquake caused extensive destruction. In total, the quakes have claimed over 2,200 lives, injured more than 3,000 and damaged over 6,300 homes. More than 497,000 people have been affected, including 263,000 children.

Difficult terrain and impassable roads complicate access to survivors—a situation that has only worsened with continued aftershocks. Key infrastructure, including water sources, were damaged, and livestock and farmland have been decimated. The most urgent needs of affected families are shelter and non-food items, food and clean water. Protection support is also critical for the most vulnerable, alongside psychosocial support—especially for children—and protection from exploitation and abuse.

The earthquake has added destruction to a country already facing multiple crises, including severe drought and the return of millions of Afghans from neighboring countries. Since January, more than 2.7 million people have returned, and two of the hardest-hit provinces, Nangarhar and Kunar, host roughly one-quarter of all returnees from Pakistan. The quake and its aftermath have exacerbated an already vulnerable situation for millions of Afghans.

CWS Response:

Church World Service is responding to the urgent needs of affected communities in partnership with our sister organization, Community World Service Asia (CWSA). Within hours of the devastating quake, CWSA response teams reached some of the hardest hit areas and are identifying and prioritizing the families most impacted. Planned assistance efforts include field kitchens to provide meals to remote locations and cash distributions, enabling survivors to quickly purchase the essentials they need most.

As response operations continue, your support is critical to ensure we can meet urgent needs and stand with disaster-affected communities through the difficult weeks and months ahead. Your donation supports this response and other relief efforts—ensuring that communities aren’t forgotten once headlines fade.

How to Help

To support CWS emergency response efforts, donations can be made online or sent to Church World Service (P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515).