September 5, 2025 — A third 6.2-magnitude earthquake and five following aftershocks struck southeastern Afghanistan on Thursday night, resulting in at least nine deaths, and compounding the devastation caused by the deadliest natural disaster the country has faced in years. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns of the escalating humanitarian emergency as aid workers race against time to support families scrambling for food, shelter and medical aid.
- IRC has carried out a rapid assessment in Laghman province, one of the worst-hit areas, to understand the full extent of the damage.
- All families surveyed by the IRC reported losing their homes.
- Eighty-five percent of families have had no roof over their heads and have been sleeping rough since the first quake struck.
- Shelter, food, financial assistance, and medical support have been identified as the most urgent needs.
Sherine Ibrahim, IRC’s Afghanistan Country Director, said:
“We are in a race against time to support communities affected by one of the deadliest natural disasters Afghanistan has seen in years. All the people we spoke to earlier this week were already deprived of roof over their heads, food and financial means to survive.
“Shelter, food, medical care and safe drinking water remain priority needs. IRC is especially concerned about the plight of women and children, many of whom have shared with us the difficulties of managing life outside their homes, coping with trauma from multiple aftershocks, and struggling to secure things as simple as food for their children, or privacy for themselves.
“The third quake on Thursday evening has worsened an already dire situation, hampering aid efforts. The wave of aftershocks and landslides has made it even more challenging to reach people in need, in some cases cutting off entire communities and making it nearly impossible to provide timely support at scale.
“As relief efforts are well underway, this week is a tragic testimony to devastating impact of aid cuts on one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. The international community must step up now to address Afghanistan’s escalating humanitarian needs—from drought-affected communities and returnee crises on both sides of its borders, to sudden natural disasters like the one that has just struck.”
About IRC's Earthquake Response
IRC mobile health teams are now operating on the ground in Kunar, the worst affected area, providing health services including first aid, maternal and newborn healthcare, and the distribution of medicines and medical supplies. We are also preparing to launch an emergency response in Nangarhar and Laghman provinces where our teams already have a deeply rooted presence – supporting the affected communities with cash assistance, protection and provision of essential items such as dignity kits.
The International Rescue Committee has been present in Afghanistan since 1988 and, at the start of 2025, operated in ten provinces across the country.