Afghanistan Requires $400 Million for Post-Earthquake Recovery

Afghanistan needs over $400 million to support reconstruction efforts following a series of devastating earthquakes that struck in October, according to a joint report by the United Nations, World Bank, European Union, and Asian Development Bank.

The majority of the required funds will be allocated for housing reconstruction, but the report, released on Wednesday, also highlights ongoing impacts on education and agriculture due to the disaster.

A sequence of earthquakes hit Herat province in western Afghanistan in October, resulting in over 1,500 deaths and more than 2,600 injuries, as reported by the United Nations. Approximately 50,000 homes were affected, with around 14,000 destroyed.

The report emphasizes an urgent need for $402.9 million to "support essential recovery and reconstruction efforts in Herat."

Women have been disproportionately affected, with up to 70% of women-run businesses suffering damage from the catastrophe.

The report indicates that only 10% of these businesses will be able to resume operations soon, though it does not specify the reasons.

Since the Taliban's takeover, women have been primarily confined to their homes due to restrictions on their participation in public life.

The United Nations warns that Afghanistan's humanitarian situation is already precarious, with over half of the population reliant on humanitarian aid.