Afghanistan’s Earthquake: Stories of Survival and Relief
- ajoyce140
- Sep 26
- 4 min read
When a magnitude-6.0 earthquake struck Kunar Province on August 31, 2025, followed by devastating aftershocks, entire villages were reduced to rubble. More than 2,200 lives were lost, and 3,600 were injured. With 98% of mud-brick homes destroyed, thousands were left homeless in treacherous terrain where rescue teams struggled to reach survivors.
Every family that survives has a story to tell. Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) was a witness to the many families who suffered and struggled to find help. We are honored to be able to provide lifesaving medical care and essentials to the survivors.
Below are some of their stories.
The Injured
When the walls of their mud-brick home collapsed, 10-year-old Kamela and her mother crawled from the rubble with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Both were badly hurt. Kamela’s leg was gashed, and her mother developed a severe cough from breathing in dust and debris.
For days, they slept under the open sky, shivering through cold nights and shielding themselves from the blazing sun during the day. Each hour felt like a lifetime as they waited for help that never seemed to come. That is, until LIFE’s mobile clinic reached their village. Doctors treated Kamela’s wound and gave her mother life-saving medicine. For the first time since the quake, they felt hope return.
LIFE’s mobile medical camp became one of the few remaining in the region. With international aid to Afghanistan down by 35% and a $1.8 billion funding gap, hundreds of health facilities have already shut their doors, including 422 nationwide and 80 in Kunar alone.
Our team treated 300 survivors (children, women, and men), offering checkups, tending to quake-related injuries, and distributing essential medicines. Special care was given to those most at risk: women, children, and the elderly, who often suffer the greatest in times of disaster.
LIFE’s presence during this difficult time meant Kamela and her family were able to receive the critical medical attention they required.
The Lost
After the earthquake, Abdul and his two sons set out from their remote mountain village to find help. With roads buried under rubble and no aid in sight, they wandered for days along narrow trails, unsure if they were moving closer to safety or deeper into danger. At night, they huddled under the open sky, hungry and exhausted, the mountains stretching endlessly before them.
When LIFE’s team finally arrived, trekking nearly 20 miles on foot to reach Abdul’s cut-off community, he broke down in relief. Staff from the community carried food, hygiene kits, and medical supplies on their backs to reach families in remote villages like Abdul’s.
In Afghanistan, three out of four people live in rural areas, many in villages far from main roads. Earthquakes and landslides often cut off these communities for weeks, leaving families isolated and vulnerable. With most international aid groups gone, local staff like LIFE’s are often the only ones able to reach those in need. That’s why LIFE invests in infrastructure that connects people to opportunity. From building water wells in remote areas to establishing schools in temporary shelters, LIFE ensures that rural communities are supported.
In August 2025, over 367 people gained access to clean water through three brand-new LIFE water wells, and 233 orphans received ongoing support through LIFE’s orphan sponsorship program. LIFE’s targeted development in rural areas sustains and protects vulnerable populations, giving them more resilience in times of disaster.
The Hungry
In another village, Zainab, a widowed mother of four, faced a different agony: hunger. With her home destroyed and no farmland left to harvest, she had nothing to feed her children. Her youngest cried through the night, clutching his empty stomach.
When LIFE’s emergency team arrived, they handed her a food basket filled with rice, lentils, flour, and cooking oil. Fatima was so grateful that her children could eat their first meal in days. “I thought we would starve,” she said. “But today, we live. Thank you so much to the LIFE donors.”
LIFE distributed food, hygiene kits, and essential supplies to 150 families, over 1,000 people, in the hardest-hit areas. This was a great source of relief for Fatima and her family.
Across Afghanistan, 15.3 million people are food insecure, including 4 million children at risk of acute malnutrition. The earthquake only worsened the situation, destroying farmland and cutting off supply routes, leaving families in remote provinces without stable access to food for weeks at a time.
Beyond emergency relief, LIFE supports long-term solutions such as agricultural programs, water projects, and education initiatives. Each year, over 20,000 Afghans benefit from these programs, ensuring that families are not only fed in times of crisis but also have the tools to thrive in the long term.
Donors Impact
These are just three of the countless families whose lives were changed because of LIFE donors. In a time when the world’s attention drifts elsewhere and aid is shrinking, LIFE's humanitarian aid and development is needed now more than ever.
LIFE has already reached thousands of Afghans with food, clean water, medicine, and education. And with your continued support, we can reach thousands more.
