Afghanistan Herat Earthquakes Response Plan - OCHA 17 October 2023
/
2:39
/
MP4
/
195.1 MB

Edited News | OCHA , UNITED NATIONS

$93.6 million needed to support earthquake-affected in Herat, says UN aid coordination agency

$93.6 million needed to support earthquake-affected in Herat, says UN aid coordination agency

In the space of just eight days, three destructive 6.3 magnitude earthquakes rocked western Afghanistan’s province of Herat, killing 2,000 people and affecting 1.6 million, UN aid coordination agency OCHA said on Tuesday.

The high-intensity quakes have left thousands in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

Latest on-site reports indicate that 66,000 people have been affected “and this figure is going up as we continue our assessments”, said Daniel Endres, Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. for Afghanistan, speaking from Kabul to journalists in Geneva.

The initial quake destroyed entire villages made of mud-brick homes. Schools and health clinics were also flattened. Most vulnerable communities now live out in the open, in makeshift shelters, in freezing temperatures ahead of the winter months. First aid, medical supplies, food, hygiene kits, emergency shelter and basic household items are part of the initial relief assistance provided.

But important damage to water and sanitation points is raising concerns of waterborne and other infectious disease outbreaks. “There is now no water for the people. It needs to be tanked in and the water systems that are on the ground have been impacted by debris. There is a risk of diseases because the water is going to be contaminated,” warned Mr. Endres. “The bigger job of addressing an earthquake comes in the next 12 months, in the reconstruction of the infrastructure, water in particular, and then, of course, the destroyed homes.”

The Humanitarian Country Team launched a multi-sectoral Herat Earthquake Response Plan (HRP) of $93.6 million to support 114,00 earthquake-affected people in the province of Herat. The appeal comes against a backdrop of chronic funding deficits, however. “Our current HRP remains severely underfunded. We've only received 30 per cent of requirements to date (this year),” said Katherine Carey, OCHA Deputy Head of humanitarian affairs office in Afghanistan.

Humanitarian partners continue to coordinate with the de-facto authorities. “That collaboration has been positive, said Mr. Endres. They have virtually not restricted us in the outreach to the people and doing the assessments.” Women are treated by female medical personnel and the work of women is permitted. “That's happening,” he confirmed.

The UN health agency, WHO, has also deployed a team of 21 female healthcare workers, medical doctors and midwives to different clinics.

Earthquakes are common in Afghanistan where there are multiple fault lines and frequent seismic movement among three tectonic plates in the area.

Ends

TRT: 2’39”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 17 Oct. 2023
DATELINE: Bi-Weekly Press Briefing - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND


SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior wide shot: UN flag alley UN Geneva.
  2. Wide shot, Press room, UN Geneva
  3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Daniel Endres, Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. for Afghanistan and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General Resident and Resident Coordinator: “Western Afghanistan, north of Herat has been struck by three earthquakes of the magnitude 6.3. And that means, the first one was on the 7th of October, the second one on the 11th, and last Sunday on the 15th, there was the third one. And so far, what we have assessed is that we have about 66,000 people who are affected. This figure is going up as we continue our assessments.”
  4. Cutaway: medium shot journalists taking notes
  5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Daniel Endres, Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. for Afghanistan and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General Resident and Resident Coordinator: “There is now no water for the people. It needs to be tanked in and the water systems that are on the ground have been impacted by debris. And there is a risk of diseases because the water is going to be contaminated.”
  6. Cutaway: wide shot of the press room
  7. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Daniel Endres, Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. for Afghanistan and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General Resident and Resident Coordinator: “First of all, in the initial humanitarian lifesaving and life sustaining phase, but it is very, very important that we also are fully aware the bigger job of addressing an earthquake comes in the next 12 months, in the reconstruction of the infrastructure, water in particular, and then, of course, the destroyed homes.”
  8. Cutaway: medium shot of journalist in the room
  9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Katherine Carey, Deputy Head of Office, OCHA Afghanistan: “The plan is six months long. It just to sort of clarify, it is a plan that will be absorbed into the existing humanitarian response plan so that the requirements that are attached to it and these total $93.6 million dollars are already incorporated into our existing humanitarian response plan for 2023. But obviously our current HRP (humanitarian response plan) remains severely underfunded. We've only received 30% of requirements to date.”
  10. Cutaway: wide shot of the press room with journalists
  11. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Daniel Endres, Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. for Afghanistan and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General Resident and Resident Coordinator: “That collaboration has been positive. They have virtually not restricted us in the outreach to the people and doing the assessments. That includes access to women by women. As you know, especially in the medical field, the work of women is permitted. And so, the women are, of course, undertreated by female medical personnel. And that's happening.”
  12. Cutaway: medium shot of journalists in the press room
  13. Various shots of Press conference room

Similar Stories

UN  High Commissioner for Human Rights report on DRC at the 60th Human Rigths Council

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report on DRC at the 60th Human Rigths Council ENG FRA

Un nouveau rapport du Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme sur la République démocratique du Congo évoque le spectre de crimes de guerre et de crimes contre l'humanité dans le Nord et le Sud-Kivu., 

HRC60 Press Conference: Report of the Sudan Fact-Finding Mission - 09 September 2025

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC

HRC60 Press Conference: Report of the Sudan Fact-Finding Mission - 09 September 2025 ENG FRA

A high-level independent rights probe into the Sudan crisis on Tuesday condemned the many grave crimes committed against civilians by all parties to the war, citing disturbing evidence indicating that they had been “deliberately targeted, displaced and starved”.

Ukraine attacks - health update - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Ukraine attacks - health update - WHO ENG FRA

Ukraine: ‘Relentless’ attacks rattle health system as winter approaches: WHO

Ambulances attacked, chronically ill patients lacking care and no peace in sight: for millions of Ukrainians, the run-up to another winter of war is just the latest life-or-death challenge they face, the UN health agency (WHO) said on Tuesday.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity ENG FRA

A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025 ENG FRA

As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017. 

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR ENG FRA

Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’

In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA ENG FRA

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, repeated his urgent call for a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday, amid increased military Israeli activity in the enclave’s largest city.

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025 ENG FRA

Amid reports of increased Israeli military operations across Gaza City on Friday, UN aid agencies repeated urgent warnings of ongoing famine and a likely rise in preventable disease, linked to the dire living conditions in the war-shattered enclave.