Norwegian Refugee Council warns aid cuts threaten re-displacement of Kunar earthquake victims

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) states that sharp reductions in humanitarian aid in Afghanistan have placed support services for families affected by the recent Kunar earthquake on the verge of suspension, heightening the risk of re-displacement for thousands of families.

Jacopo Caridi, head of NRC in Afghanistan, said that with funding drying up, many aid organizations, including NRC, will be forced to halt activities. He noted that closing basic services would leave families who lost all possessions with little opportunity to access proper shelter.

The earthquake, which struck on Aug. 31, 2025, was one of the deadliest in recent years, leaving over 2,000 dead, 8,000 families homeless and 186,000 people in need of emergency shelter and essentials. Six months later, many families remain in temporary tents and endured winter with limited facilities.

Save the Children reported on Thursday that heavy snowfall has damaged some tents and shelters in the affected areas. Families are using traditional wood and coal stoves to heat tents, raising fire risks. Reconstruction has just begun in the mountainous region, with some villages too extensively damaged to rebuild.

Of about 1,300 schools in the areas, half were fully or partially destroyed. Around 50,000 primary school children have been hardest hit and deprived of education.

Bujar Hoxha, Save the Children's country director in Afghanistan, said reconstructing schools and homes in Kunar is vital. He added that six months on, children are still studying in tents, and families fear being forgotten, remaining dependent on aid from Save the Children and other groups.