Tehran- IRAF- UNICEF stated that the funds will be used to provide urgent winter assistance, including emergency cash support and the establishment of service tents, to ensure that vital services for children and mothers continue uninterrupted during the coldest months of the year.
Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s Representative in Afghanistan, referring to the harsh winter conditions, said:
“This support came at a critical moment, when earthquake‑affected families are facing the harshest weeks of winter. This financial assistance has enabled families to meet their immediate needs and, most importantly, ensured that life‑saving services for children and mothers continue in safe, community‑based spaces, even in extreme cold.”
According to the United Nations, the 6.0‑magnitude earthquake that struck eastern provinces of Afghanistan at the end of August 2025 claimed the lives of 1,992 people, injured more than 3,600, and destroyed or severely damaged over 8,300 homes.
Winter Crisis for Earthquake Survivors: Aid Agencies Warn of Unsafe Tents
While international aid efforts continue, a new wave of cold weather and heavy snowfall has pushed the situation of thousands of earthquake‑affected children—still living in temporary tents—into a critical and alarming phase.
“The organization Save the Children” has recently warned that sub‑zero temperatures and persistent moisture significantly increase the risk of acute respiratory infections, including pneumonia, among children.
Bujar Hoxha, the organization’s Country Director in Afghanistan, stated that the current conditions could once again threaten the lives of children who survived the earthquake.
The organization reported that nearly 3,000 families in Kunar Province have so far received winter aid packages, including blankets, warm clothing, and essential supplies. Additionally, during the current winter season, approximately 75,000 people are expected to benefit from winter assistance, and heating systems have been installed in classrooms and community care centers for more than 21,000 children. However, the continuation of these efforts requires urgent additional funding.
Latest Report on Cold Wave Damage
Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority has reported that the recent wave of severe cold and heavy snowfall has resulted in at least 60 deaths, more than 100 injuries, and the destruction or damage of approximately 450 homes across the country.
The authority has warned that continued snowfall could cause further damage in vulnerable regions.
5,700 Families Still Living in Temporary Tents
According to the United Nations, around 5,700 families in the provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar are still living in temporary camps.
These families rely on basic tents to withstand the extreme cold—tents that experts say are incapable of enduring heavy snowfall and high moisture levels, and could collapse at any moment.
