“But he will be saved out of trouble”
[Jun.23.2022] An earthquake of 5.9-magnitude (Based on the European Mediterranean Earthquake Center) in south-eastern Afghanistan killed more than 1,000 people on the 22nd (local time).
The 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck the south-eastern provinces of Paktika along the Pakistan border at 1:24 AM (local time), foreign media, Afghan media, and earthquake intelligence agencies reported. “In Paktika alone, more than 1,000 people have died and 1,500 have been injured. People are digging grave after grave,” said Mohammad Amin Huzaifa, head of the Information and Culture Department in Paktika.
The number of casualties is anticipated to rise as time goes by as casualties have also occurred in nearby Khost state and damages in remote mountains have not been counted. Sharapuddin, deputy minister of Muslim Disaster Management, held a press conference and said, “According to the information we have secured so far, the number of deaths and injuries is 920 and 600, respectively.”
The earthquake, which had an epicenter of only 10 km deep, was so powerful that the tremors would be sensed hundreds of kilometers away, not only in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, but also in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, and India. Looking at the photos posted on social media (SNS), etc., the houses collapsed into rubble, and the recovered body was placed on the ground covered with blankets. Many people are said to have been crushed by the collapsed houses.
Most of the local houses are built with mud bricks, so when a flood or earthquake occurs, they easily collapse and cause considerable damage. In particular, the earthquake caused more damage because the epicenter was at a shallow depth and occurred in the middle of the night when residents were sleeping.
“Every street you go, you hear people mourning the deaths of their beloved ones,” a journalist in Paktika province said.
Taliban authorities mobilized helicopters for rescue and search operations. Relief items such as medicine are also being delivered to the affected areas. Taliban supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, also issued a statement and offered condolences to the bereaved family.
Acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akund convened an emergency cabinet meeting and set aside 1 billion afghanis (approximately 14.5 billion won) to support the victims.
Taliban officials asked the UN to “support them in terms of assessing the needs and responding to those affected.”
In response, the international community, including the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), and Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif of Pakistan, a neighbouring country, promised to provide support for the people in the affected areas. It is known that some relief teams have already been dispatched to the scene(Source: Yonhap News).
How awful that day will be! No other will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:7)
God, have mercy on Afghanistan, where countless casualties occurred due to the sudden earthquake. We pray that the international community and the churches of the nations provide help in the affected areas. May the gospel of the Kingdom be shared with the people so that many people will experience Your saving grace in the desperate situation they are in. Please comfort the bereaved families of the deceased and strengthen the authorities that are working on ways to prevent further damage.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
