Afghanistan Earthquake Creates Complex Public Health Emergency

The earthquake has caused mass casualties, with at least 2,205 deaths and over 3,640 injuries reported across Kunar, Nangarhar, Laghman, and Nuristan provinces as of Sept. 9. Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients suffering crush injuries, fractures, and head trauma, many needing surgery or intensive care, placing pressure on limited operating capacity. The World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed emergency teams to relieve hospitals in affected areas and delivered 43 metric tons of medical supplies.  

Access delays continue to threaten critically injured survivors. Rescue operations remain extremely difficult in hard-to-reach areas. Mountainous terrain, landslides, blocked roads, and recent rainfall have delayed access and hampered response operations. As responders reach the more inaccessible areas, further reports of casualties and damage are likely.

Local health facilities are under severe strain. Twenty facilities have been damaged, including 19 in Kunar and one in Nangarhar. Shortages of trauma supplies, essential medicines, and trained staff limit care, with referral hospitals facing critical gaps in analgesics, antibiotics, surgical supplies, and blood products. Ambulance and referral systems are inadequate, and landslides, flooding, and difficult terrain hinder access to rural areas. The absence of female healthcare workers in many facilities is limiting access for women and girls. Many communities remain cut off, and the full extent of infrastructure damage is still being assessed.

Mental health and psychosocial needs are acute. Survivors face grief, anxiety, and trauma from lost relatives, homes, and livelihoods. At the same time, those with serious injuries experience compounded mental health challenges. Health workers, many also personally affected by the earthquake, are working around the clock in remote areas, raising concerns about their well-being.

Over 6,782 homes have been destroyed, leaving thousands homeless or in overcrowded shelters with limited water and sanitation, increasing the risk of diarrhea, cholera, and respiratory outbreaks. Pre-existing vulnerabilities, including fragile health systems, poverty, food insecurity, and 270,000 recent returnees from Pakistan, further strain resources.  

The WHO has deployed 17 Surveillance Support Teams across Nangarhar, Kunar, Nuristan, and Laghman for active disease surveillance. Between Sept. 2-9, Kunar Province reported 1,195 infectious disease cases, including 775 acute respiratory infections, 317 diarrheal diseases, and 60 suspected malaria cases.  

The earthquake has created a complex public health emergency, characterized by high trauma needs, strained healthcare infrastructure, and elevated infectious disease risks. Displacement, overcrowding, inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene compound vulnerabilities, while difficult terrain delays critical assistance. Without sustained support and secure access, preventable deaths and disease outbreaks remain likely, especially among displaced and vulnerable groups. This represents the most complete data available as of Sept. 9.

Learn more about leveraging our industry-leading regional and subject matter experts for intelligence insights that help your organization proactively mitigate risks to your people and operations.