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In a post on its official website, the UN lamented the consequences of the earthquake and recalled that approximately two months ago a similar event devastated the east of the country and caused the deaths of more than a thousand people. Meanwhile, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced that the organization’s first response teams are already in the area to provide care to the injured. The World Food Programme announced that it will support the affected communities and has begun assessing the main needs. According to official reports, the earthquake struck near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif at around 1:00 AM local time. “We flew over the main populated areas, where most of the settlements are concentrated. Fortunately, we saw less devastation than in Kunar just a few weeks ago,” Richard Trenchard, the UN humanitarian chief in Afghanistan, said. The UN reported that the August 31 earthquake destroyed thousands of homes and vital infrastructure. It also displaced thousands and left half a million people in need of urgent medical assistance. The WHO warned about prolonged stays in temporary settlements, the increasing health risks, and the lack of access to clean water and other basic services. abo/arm/jcm/gas
