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The United Nations says aid workers are still in a “race against time” to remove rubble and rebuild after the devastating earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan last month, killing at least 2,200 people and cutting off remote areas.
The 6.0-magnitude quake on Aug. 31 was shallow, destroying or causing extensive damage to low-rise buildings in the mountainous region. It hit late at night, and homes — mostly made of mud, wood, or rocks — collapsed instantly, becoming death traps.
Satellite data shows that about 40,500 truckloads of debris still needs to be cleared from affected areas in several provinces, the United Nations Development Program said Wednesday. Entire communities have been upended and families are sleeping in the open, it added.
The quake’s epicenter was in remote and rugged Kunar province, challenging rescue and relief efforts by the Taliban government and humanitarian groups. Authorities deployed helicopters or airdropped army commandos to evacuate survivors. Aid workers walked for hours on foot to reach isolated communities.
“This is a race against time,” said Devanand Ramiah, from the UNDP’s Crisis Bureau. “Debris removal and reconstruction operations must start safely and swiftly.”
People’s main demands were the reconstruction of houses and water supplies, according to a spokesman for a Taliban government committee tasked with helping survivors, Zia ur Rahman Speenghar.
People were getting assistance in cash, food, tents, beds, and other necessities, Speenghar said Thursday. Three new roads were under construction in the Dewagal Valley, and roads would be built to areas where there previously were none.
“Various countries and organizations have offered assistance in the construction of houses but that takes time. After the second round of assistance, work will begin on the third round, which is considering what kind of houses can be built here,” the spokesman said.
Afghanistan is facing a “perfect storm” of crises, including natural disasters like the recent earthquake, said Roza Otunbayeva, who leads the UN mission to the country.
In a briefing to the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Otunbayeva said the development of Afghanistan’s full potential was required for it to address restrictions on personal freedoms, aid cuts, a struggling economy, climate-related stressors, and ” significant population returns ” from neighboring countries.

SEOUL: South Korean prosecutors on Thursday requested an arrest warrant for the leader of the Unification Church, Han Hak-ja, on allegations of bribery linked to the country’s former first lady and incitement to destroy evidence.
The move came a day after the 82-year-old was questioned over her alleged role in bribing former first lady Kim Keon Hee and a prominent lawmaker.
Founded in 1954 by her late husband Moon Sun-myung, the Unification Church has long been the subject of controversy and criticism, with its teachings centered on Moon’s role as the Second Coming, its mass weddings and a cult-like culture.
Followers are derisively referred to as “Moonies.”
But the church’s reach extends far beyond religion, spanning businesses from media and tourism to food distribution.
Han assumed leadership of the church after Moon’s death in 2012.
“We have requested an arrest warrant for Han earlier today,” said prosecutor Park Sang-jin.
“The charges against her include violation of political funds act, anti-graft law, incitement to destroy evidence and embezzlement,” he added.
“We considered the risk of Han tampering with evidence to be very high, which led us to seek the warrant.”
A court is expected to review the validity of the warrant request early next week.
Han is suspected of ordering the delivery of luxury gifts including a designer handbag and diamond necklace to Kim in 2022 to curry favor with her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, who became president that year.
The former first lady has been arrested and indicted on charges of bribery and stock-market manipulation, while her husband – also in custody – is standing trial over his declaration of martial law in December.
The couple fell from grace after Yoon’s martial law declaration briefly suspended civilian rule, before it was overturned by opposition MPs in December.
Yoon was impeached and removed from office in April over the attempt.
Han also faces allegations of bribing a prominent MP with 100 million won ($72,000).
A Seoul court issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday for the lawmaker, Kweon Seong-dong, citing the risk he could tamper with evidence.
Han, who was wheeled out of the prosecutors’ office after more than nine hours of questioning, denied wrongdoing.
“Why would I have done that?” she said when asked about the allegations.
Prosecutor Park also said Han had denied committing any crimes during the Wednesday questioning.