Survivors of a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan this week are struggling to find shelter from the rain and prepare for the coming winter cold, as many remain displaced and aid remains scarce.
The tremor, which hit the Samangan and Balkh provinces overnight on Sunday, killed at least 27 people, according to Taliban authorities. The epicentre was located in Samangan’s Kholm district, where homes were reduced to rubble and residents now face freezing nights without adequate protection.
In Kholm, a man named Gulabuddin mourned the loss of his daughter-in-law, who did not manage to escape their collapsing home in time. “We lost all our belongings. Winter is coming. We have small children — where can we go?” he said, describing how his family has been staying with relatives after losing everything.
Heavy rains have worsened conditions in affected areas, turning dirt paths into muddy pools surrounded by cracked walls and debris.
The disaster has revived painful memories of another 6.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan two months ago, killing more than 2,200 people — the country’s deadliest quake in recent history.
In Mazar Dara, a mountain village in Kunar, 50-year-old farmer Bazarga Safay said she and 15 others, including 12 children, are now living in a single tent. “We were given a tent, but it’s not suitable for winter,” she said, adding that many villagers still sleep outdoors, fearful of aftershocks.
With temperatures soon expected to plunge to -20°C, residents face the prospect of enduring the cold without warm clothes or blankets. Taliban officials have acknowledged that most aid distributed after the summer quake — including tents and food — did not account for the harsh winter conditions.
“Now that winter is coming, people need clothes and things that can help them survive the cold,” said Najibullah Hanafi, a Taliban information officer in Kunar.
However, international aid efforts remain limited, as major donors — including the US government — have withdrawn or reduced funding for Afghanistan.
At the foot of Mazar Dara, temporary camps have been set up, but according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 77% of quake survivors plan to stay in their damaged villages, either due to lack of resources or uncertainty about where to go.
Some residents are determined to rebuild with sturdier materials. “We want to rebuild our house in the same place, but not in the same way,” said Awal Jan, another villager. “If we don’t want our house to collapse again, only concrete will work.”
Taliban officials claim reconstruction has begun, with dozens of new homes planned — though on the ground, reporters have only seen one bulldozer clearing debris.
For now, as the winter sets in and relief efforts stall, thousands of Afghans are left to face the cold in makeshift shelters — uncertain when help will come.
