A magnitude 6.0 earthquake devastated parts of eastern Afghanistan late Sunday.
As of Tuesday, the death toll has passed 1,410 people, with thousands more injured and over 5,400 homes destroyed. Almost all of the deaths were in Kunar Province, Afghan officials said Monday.
Among other aftershocks, a 5.2-magnitude quake struck in the same region on Tuesday.
Road damage and landslides have hindered rescue efforts. Nehemiah with FMI shared a report from a local partner: “Nearly half of the villagers remain trapped under the rubble, and survivors are desperately trying to dig them out with their bare hands.
“There is nobody who would come and help them, so villagers or survivors are helping themselves.”
Houses made of wood and mud-bricks were nothing against the first quake. It struck around midnight Sunday when most people were asleep and vulnerable to structural collapse.
“This disaster is especially devastating because it is human-made,” said Nehemiah. “In a sense, the fragile building practices driven by poverty and limited infrastructure have turned a national event into a disastrous tragedy.”
Nehemiah said FMI church planters stand in the gap to serve isolated villages at this time. “They are distributing food, organizing emergency shelters and offering prayers, even risking their own lives and own safety.”
Other powers are in motion to help. The Taliban government has appealed for international aid. India has already sent food and tents for immediate relief. The UN and United Kingdom have also promised emergency aid. But what FMI partners are asking for is your prayers!
“Pray for safe delivery of aid into accessible areas. Pray for wisdom, protection and spiritual strength for our church planters on the ground,” Nehemiah said.
“Pray that in the darkest moments, the light of Christ will shine and bring hope to those who have lost so much.”
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This story originally appeared at Mission Network News and is republished here with permission.