By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) – The UN refugee agency on Tuesday said the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake in Afghanistan is devastating and sought support for the war-torn country.

“As the needs of those affected continue to rise, UNHCR and partners are on the ground providing critical assistance and distributing relief items,” UNHCR said on X.

On Monday, UNHCR said the needs are huge and they are on the ground distributing tents, core relief items, and dignity kits to those who have been affected.

Teams of other UN organizations, including the World Health Organization, and the World Food Program, also arrived in the affected areas to help the victim families.

“My prayers are with the people of Herat following the earthquake in western Afghanistan. Having visited earlier this year, I remember the resilient spirit and courage of the women. We are counting on the international community for support and solidarity,” said Amina J Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the UN.

According to the UN, at least 11,585 people have been affected by the powerful earthquake that struck Afghanistan's Herat province and they are providing medical services, emergency shelter, food, water, and protection.

On Monday, Afghanistan's Disaster Management Ministry said that the number of people dead and injured in last week's earthquake has exceeded 4,000.

At a press conference in Kabul, Mullah Janan Saiq, a spokesman for the Disaster Management Ministry, said that some 2,000 houses in 20 villages of the Zinda Jan and Ghorian districts were destroyed in the earthquake.

Saiq said that the ministry is struggling to gather the "exact" figures of dead and injured as rescuers scrambled to pull out people trapped under the rubble.

He called upon the international community to help Kabul in responding to the damage caused by the earthquake.

On Saturday, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake jolted the two districts of northwestern Herat province near the border with Iran.