The United States will provide approximately $55 million in humanitarian assistance in response to the June 22 earthquake that hit eastern Afghanistan.
The U.S. Agency for International Development will handle the aid to reach those most affected by the natural disaster, according to a June 28 State Department release.
“This additional disaster relief assistance will reach people affected by the earthquake with critical relief items: shelter materials, pots for cooking, jerry cans to collect and store water, blankets, solar lamps, clothes and other household items,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, according to the release. “Assistance will be provided for water, sanitation and hygiene supplies to prevent waterborne disease outbreak in the aftermath of this natural disaster.”
The aid comes despite the U.S. cutting off a large portion of aid and freezing even more of Afghanistan's assets, the release said.
Afghanistan was hit by a magnitude 5.9 earthquake in the eastern region of their country, CNN reported. It was the deadliest earthquake to hit the country in decades and resulted in the death of more than 1,000 people and the injury of many more.
The initial shocks rumbled through the country 1:24 a.m. local time June 22 and registered at a depth of 10 kilometers, conditions which designated it at a yellow alert level by USGS measurements, CNN reported.
Almost half of the country's population — 20 million people — have been impacted by global food shortages and are experiencing acute hunger, CNN reported. The situation has been amplified by the Taliban's seizure of power in August 2021, which led the U.S to freeze billions of Afghanistan's foreign reserves and cut off international funding.
