Saving children: Tents of children affected by Quake in Afghanistan can’t withstand snow, cold

DID Press: International Organization for Save the Children reported that heavy snowfall and a sharp drop in temperature in Afghanistan have created serious health risks for thousands of children who are still living in tents five months after the deadly earthquakes in the east of the country.

“Save the Children” organization has announced that these conditions seriously threaten children’s lives.

According to Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, the snow and extreme cold have left at least 60 dead, more than 100 injured and about 450 houses destroyed or damaged across the country. Meanwhile, the earthquake on August 31 last year in eastern Afghanistan killed nearly 2,000 people and destroyed more than 8,000 houses.

According to the UN report, about 5,700 families are still living in temporary camps in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, and they are resisting the winter cold with only tents and temporary covers.

Bojar Hoja, the country director of Save the Children in Afghanistan, has warned that sub-zero temperatures and snowfall have made young children especially vulnerable to acute respiratory infections, including pneumonia. He emphasized that the cold and wet conditions have once again put the lives of children who survived the earthquake in danger.

This organization has announced that nearly 3 thousand families in Kunar province have received winter packages including blankets, warm clothes and essential items, but urgent funding is needed to help other vulnerable families.

Save the Children has also announced that this winter, about 75,000 people in Afghanistan will benefit from winter packages and more than 21,000 children will benefit from the installation of heaters in classrooms and social care centers.