Concern Worldwide has launched an emergency response to the avalanches in Afghanistan that has killed at least 43 people in the Badakhshan province. An entire village has been buried in 10 feet of snow, with another 60 people or more believed to be injured.
With many people now trapped in their homes, Concern staff are going to struggle to reach them with many main roads cut off, placing whole communities at severe risk. Aid workers are now helping clear the roads of snow in 30 villages, whilst offering cold weather kits and warm clothing.
Concern’s regional director for Asia, Lucia Ennis, said –
People are in need of food, fuel, winter clothing and fodder for their animals. Concern is purchasing essential supplies locally in Kabul and deploying them to the emergency area.
Afghanistan winters are some of the most treacherous on the planet, with the wild mountainous terrain making avalanches a yearly occurrence. Concern are now responding to the immediate needs of the 30,000 people effected, with plans now in place to provide training to communities on the importance of disaster preparation.
Hopefully this will help communities when future avalanches hit, but in the meantime, it’s the people who are in danger now who must be of paramount concern.
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