New york: Ant³nio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, expressed deep sorrow over the earthquake that struck Afghanistan over the weekend. Guterres expressed his solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, extended sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, reported Anadolu Agency (ANSA).
According to Bahrain News Agency, the UN in Afghanistan will spare no effort to assist people, but current humanitarian funding is insufficient to address the needs. An emergency appeal is being developed by the UN and its partners, and an initial $5 million from the UN's emergency fund CERF has been released.
The reports indicate that more than 800 people have been killed and many more injured. Casualty figures are expected to rise as search and rescue teams reach affected communities located in remote and mountainous locations.
Guterres further called for "additional humanitarian resources to urgently respond to the tragedy and crisis at hand." The earthquake hit Afghanistan late Sunday, killing at least 800 people and injuring 2,500 others and causing great devastation in the eastern province of Kunar.