Comprehensive Field Report: Earthquake in Kunar Province, Afghanistan

By Saifrood Unity and Aid Organization (SUAO)

1. Overview of the Disaster

On the night of 31 August 2025 (10 Sunbula 1404), at approximately 11:40 PM, a 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Kunar province, one of Afghanistan’s most mountainous and fragile regions. The tremor was shallow and powerful, with its epicenter located between Diwa Gul Valley in Chawkay District and Mazar Dara in Nurgal District.

The quake was felt across Kunar, Laghman, Nangarhar, and Nuristan provinces, as well as in parts of Pakistan’s tribal borderlands. However, the epicentral areas of Diwa Gul and Mazar Dara experienced the most catastrophic destruction.

According to Saifrood Unity and Aid Organization (SUAO)’s field teams, the disaster caused over 2,500 deaths, 3,700 injuries, and destroyed thousands of homes and public buildings. Six districts—Nurgal, Chawkay, Chapa Dara, Watapur, Khas Kunar, and Narang—were directly affected.

Entire families were buried under collapsed mud-brick homes; mosques, schools, and health posts were flattened; bridges and roads were destroyed; and electricity and water systems were disrupted. The earthquake has left tens of thousands of survivors displaced, struggling to survive in temporary camps scattered across the valleys.

2. Humanitarian Situation in Diwa Gul and Mazar Dara Valleys

The earthquake’s epicenter was concentrated in Diwa Gul Valley (Chawkay District) and Mazar Dara (Nurgal District). These valleys, already geographically isolated, suffered massive structural collapse and high mortality rates.

In Diwa Gul Valley alone, 717 families (5,140 individuals) have been displaced and are now living in two primary camps—Anderlach Camp and Central Diwa Gul Camp—both established with assistance from national and international organizations.

Field data collected by SUAO teams indicate that:

366 people lost their lives in these two camps.
254 others were injured, many with untreated wounds.
Villages including Shoni Shal, Speerko Banda, Parkho Banda, Gul Sab Banda, Jabar Banda, Tundi, Ahmad Banda, Sheena Pati, Dambar Nala, Ranjo Morgai, Anderlach, Chels, and Badgora were either completely destroyed or severely damaged.

The survivors, most of them women, children, and elderly persons, are now living in makeshift tents provided by humanitarian agencies. These tents offer minimal protection from cold nights, rain, and wind. Families have lost not only homes but also their crops, livestock, and means of income.

3. Displacement Across Affected Districts

Beyond Diwa Gul, large-scale displacement has been reported in Nurgal, Khas Kunar, Chawkay, Watapur, and Narang districts. Many families have been relocated to temporary displacement camps, including:

Osmani Camp – Khas Kunar District
Central Camp – Chawkay District
Anderlach Camp – Chawkay District
Patan Camp – Nurgal District
Mazar Dara Camp – Nurgal District
Zuri Baba Camp – Nurgal District

In Osmani Camp, 585 families (3,527 individuals) live in 251 tents, with 107 deaths and 158 injuries officially recorded. Conditions across these camps are dire: tents are overcrowded, sanitation is inadequate, and clean water is scarce.

As winter approaches, residents are increasingly concerned about freezing temperatures, lack of food, and unemployment. Access to healthcare is nearly non-existent, and blocked mountain roads have severely limited humanitarian deliveries.

4. Human Impact and Stories from the Field

Beyond the numbers lie the personal tragedies that define this disaster. SUAO’s field teams have documented heartbreaking stories of loss, resilience, and survival that capture the true human cost of the earthquake.

4.1 Amina – A Mother’s Grief in Nurgal District

In the village of Shumash, Nurgal District, Amina, a 48-year-old woman, lost five members of her family during the earthquake — her son, daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and son-in-law.

She is now the sole caretaker of her four orphaned grandchildren and her widowed daughter, whose leg was broken when their home collapsed. Her eldest grandchild is only nine years old. The family currently lives in a small tent in the Nurgal camp, surviving on limited rations and the kindness of neighbors.

“I lost everything—the roof over my head, my children, and my peace,” Amina told SUAO’s team. “The nights are cold, we have no bread, no warm clothes, and my daughter’s leg needs medicine that we cannot afford. I don’t know how we will survive the coming winter.”

Amina’s story illustrates the intergenerational toll of this disaster — widowed mothers, orphaned children, and broken families struggling to survive amid grief and displacement.

Saifrood Unity and Aid Organization (SUAO) Comprehensive Field Report: Earthquake in Kunar Province, Afghanistan

Amina – A Mother’s Grief in Nurgal District Saifrood Organization

4.2 Rehanullah – A Ten-Year-Old Head of Household in Diwa Gul

In Diwa Gul Camp, Rehanullah, a 10-year-old boy, has become the head of his household after losing his parents and two brothers in the earthquake. He cares for his younger sister and brother, despite being injured himself with a deep shoulder wound.

“I can’t work and I can’t go to school,” he said. “My little sister cries every night because it’s cold and we have no blankets.”

Like many orphaned children in the region, Rehanullah faces hunger, trauma, and the loss of education — a future interrupted before it even began.

4.3 Abdul Hamid – A Survivor of Unimaginable Loss

Abdul Hamid, a young man from Diwa Gul Valley, lost eleven family members in a single night — including his mother, three children, three sisters, and three brothers.

“In one moment, my world disappeared,” he told the SUAO team. “Now I live under a tent with strangers. I have no job, no home, and no one left to call family.”

Abdul Hamid’s voice echoes the despair of hundreds of young men who have lost everything and now face the harsh winter without support or employment opportunities.

5. Field Assessment and Findings

Since 16 October 2025, SUAO’s Field Assessment and Response Team has conducted extensive on-site surveys across the affected districts, including household visits, community consultations, and coordination meetings with local authorities.

5.1 Key Observations

Massive destruction of housing and infrastructure:
Over 80% of homes in Diwa Gul and Mazar Dara have either collapsed or become unsafe. Schools, mosques, and clinics have been destroyed.
Severe disruption to livelihoods:
Agricultural land, irrigation canals, and livestock shelters were damaged, leaving families without income.
Inadequate shelter:
Thousands are living in non-winterized tents, exposed to cold and rain.
Health crisis emerging:
Increased cases of respiratory infections, malnutrition, and diarrhea, particularly among children.
Water and sanitation challenges:
Many camps rely on contaminated water sources; open defecation is common due to lack of latrines.
Psychosocial trauma:
High levels of anxiety, grief, and depression among survivors, especially widowed women and orphaned children.

6. Humanitarian Gaps and Immediate Needs

With winter approaching, immediate humanitarian interventions are urgently required to prevent further suffering and potential loss of life.

Priority Needs Identified by SUAO:

Emergency Shelter Support – winterized tents, tarpaulins, warm blankets, and heating materials.
Cash Assistance – direct support to families for purchasing essentials.
Food and Nutrition – dry rations and high-energy foods for children and pregnant women.
Medical Support – mobile health clinics, trauma treatment, and medicine distribution.
Psychosocial Services – counseling and support for children and grieving families.
WASH Assistance – clean water, latrines, and hygiene kits to prevent disease outbreaks.
Livelihood Recovery – cash-for-work programs and support for small-scale farming.

Without urgent action, thousands of families will face starvation, illness, and exposure during the harsh winter months.

7. Coordination and Response

SUAO has coordinated with:

Kunar Provincial Disaster Management Authorities
OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)
Community Shuras (councils)
Other national humanitarian actors

However, response remains limited due to funding constraints, damaged transport routes, and logistical barriers. Remote areas like Diwa Gul and Mazar Dara are still waiting for consistent relief deliveries.

8. Environmental and Secondary Risks

Post-earthquake assessments have identified additional risks, including:

Landslides on unstable mountainsides, threatening entire villages.
Water contamination due to debris and corpses entering rivers.
Loss of farmland under rockfall, reducing food production and income sources.

These risks could lead to a long-term humanitarian crisis if not mitigated through environmental recovery and infrastructure repair.

9. SUAO’s Commitment and Next Steps

The Saifrood Unity and Aid Organization (SUAO) remains committed to staying on the ground in Kunar province to:

Continue comprehensive needs assessments and data verification.
Implement a Winterization Response Plan focusing on cash aid, shelter, and essential goods.
Provide psychosocial support to children, women, and traumatized families.
Support legal documentation for families who lost ID cards and property papers.
Advocate for increased international funding and coordination.

SUAO’s mission is to protect life, restore dignity, and help rebuild hope in the earthquake-affected communities of Kunar.

10. Conclusion and Call to Action

The earthquake in Kunar province is not only a humanitarian emergency but a test of human compassion. Thousands of Afghans—widows, orphans, and the elderly—now face hunger, cold, and despair.

Their survival depends on immediate and coordinated humanitarian support. SUAO calls upon:

International donors to prioritize Kunar in emergency funding allocations.
Afghan diaspora organizations to mobilize resources for rapid relief.
Humanitarian partners to collaborate in ensuring a unified, effective response.

Now is the moment to act — before winter claims more lives.

About Saifrood Unity and Aid Organization (SUAO)

Saifrood Unity and Aid Organization (SUAO) is a registered Afghan humanitarian organization dedicated to assisting vulnerable communities across Afghanistan. SUAO implements programs in emergency response, livelihoods, protection, and community resilience, with operations in Herat, Ghor, Badghis, Nimroz, and Kunar provinces.

Our approach combines local knowledge and humanitarian professionalism to ensure that aid reaches those who need it most, with transparency and dignity.