2 September 2025 – On 31 August 2025 at 23:47 local time, a devastating 6+ magnitude earthquake struck Nangarhar Province near the Pakistan border, with tremors felt across Kunar, Laghman, Nuristan, and as far as Kabul. The shallow depth of the quake, combined with successive aftershocks, caused catastrophic damage in mountainous areas, where access routes remain blocked by rocks and landslides.[1]
Preliminary reports indicate at least 1,411 fatalities and 3,125 injured, with an estimated 12,000 people directly affected. Entire villages have been reduced to rubble, leaving thousands without shelter, without a roof and without any protection – many of them are women and girls. A major part of earthquake-affected areas is located in Kunar Province, a mountainous region with limited access, and if reconstruction efforts for houses and basic services do not start now, many families including women and children, risk suffering due to cold winter, which is less than two months away.
While humanitarian partners are mobilizing immediate relief efforts with local authorities, efforts to reconstruct and build back better must start now, in parallel to the emergency response. Without timely shelter and housing interventions, vulnerable displaced families—particularly women, children, persons with disabilities, and the elderly—will face unimaginable hardship during the coming winter.
Building back better approaches – making houses more earthquake resilient – are needed, and diverse construction methods need to be applied to better withstand future shocks. UN-Habitat Afghanistan calls on all donors and partners for urgent support for the reconstruction of houses and durable shelters and provide assistance for basic services and essential household items for the affected families.
Together, we can help communities rebuild their lives with dignity and resilience in the face of this tragedy.
For more information, please contact:
Stephanie Loose, Country Programme Manager, UN-Habitat Afghanistan: Steohanie.loose@un.org
Relevant Document
[1] Afghanistan Flash Update #1: Earthquake in Nangarhar Province (1 September 2025, as of 15:00) | OCHA
