Hospitals overwhelmed in Afghanistan as injured continue to arrive after the earthquake

Jalalabad (Afghanistan).- After the 6.0 magnitude earthquake that shook eastern Afghanistan, the death toll rises to at least 800 dead and 2,800 injured, while hospitals remain overwhelmed and victims continue to arrive from villages and mountains where people are still trapped under the rubble. "Today is the second day since the earthquake, more than 32 hours have passed, and the injured are still arriving," explained to EFE Dr. Sharif Khamosh, from the Regional Hospital of Nangarhar, in Jalalabad, the capital of one of the most affected states.

Read more: More than 1,100 dead and 3,200 injured by the earthquake in Afghanistan, according to the Red Crescent

"We are still receiving reports of people trapped under the rubble. Some have already died, and just this morning three aircraft brought the injured to the hospital," he added. The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.0, was recorded on Sunday night in the Kama district of Nangarhar province, just ten kilometers deep, which multiplied its impact. The latest report includes at least 800 deaths and 2,800 injuries, while the UN estimates that some 12,000 people have been directly affected. Many of the most seriously injured come from Kunar, the hardest-hit province, mostly rural areas, and have been transferred to hospitals in the area, where capacity is limited. The Asadabad provincial hospital, with 150 beds, has treated more than 200 patients since the night of the disaster. Taliban administration helicopters evacuate the injured to hospitals in Jalalabad and Asadabad, while heavy machinery tries to clear the roads, which have been blocked by landslides. The destruction affects homes, schools and mosques, as well as farmland and livestock, which aggravates the economic vulnerability of thousands of rural families. OCHA, the United Nations humanitarian coordination office, identified temporary shelters, potable water, medicines, and emergency food as immediate priorities. The UN released five million dollars from its global response fund, while the UK announced one million pounds in emergency aid and India sent a thousand tents and tons of food. China, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, and the EU also offered support. Afghanistan, immersed in a deep economic crisis and with a healthcare system weakened by a lack of resources, faces enormous difficulties in addressing the emergency, aggravated by the restrictions imposed by the Taliban regime and the reduction of international aid in the last two years.