Image: Reuters Berita 24 English - Following a U.N. agency's warning of a cholera outbreak in the area, thousands of people affected b...
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| Image: Reuters |
Berita 24 English - Following a U.N. agency's warning of a cholera outbreak in the area, thousands of people affected by a fatal earthquake in eastern Afghanistan need access to clean water, food, and protection from sickness, a representative of the Afghan health ministry said on Sunday.
Following Wednesday's earthquake, which resulted in at least 1,000 fatalities, 2,000 injuries, and 10,000 homes being demolished, the U.N. humanitarian office (OCHA) issued a warning that cholera breakouts in the aftermath are a specific and significant worry.
According to the spokeswoman for Afghanistan's health ministry, Sharafat Zaman, "the people are desperately in need of food and clean water." She added that while officials had for the time being managed medicines, dealing with those who had lost their houses would be difficult.
The survivor can develop diseases because they don't have suitable buildings and shelters for living, he said. "We need the world community, humanitarian organisations to help us for food and medicine."
The catastrophe is a significant test for Afghanistan's hardline Taliban authorities, who have been ignored by many Western countries because of worries about human rights since they took over the nation last year.
It is difficult for nations that imposed sanctions on Afghan government institutions and banks, cutting off direct aid and causing a humanitarian crisis even before the earthquake to assist thousands of Afghans.
Aid has been dispatched to the afflicted areas by the United Nations and a number of other nations, and more is expected in the coming days.
The Taliban government in Afghanistan demanded that Western financial institutions unfreeze billions of dollars' worth of central bank assets and roll back sanctions.
The bulk of people are still living in the earthquake-damaged neighbourhoods despite the fact that hospitals in Kabul that are better accustomed to treating war victims have opened their wards to earthquake sufferers.
"There are many kids with us, our homes are devastated, and we don't have a tent. We are in the dark. All of our food and clothing are buried in debris "In Wor Kali, a village in the most severely affected Barmal area, Hazrat Ali, 18, spoke to a Reuters team.
"My heart is devastated because I lost my brothers. We are now only two. I adored them dearly, "said he.
