US to provide $55m to those affected by Afghanistan earthquake

Humanitarian assistance will go through US Agency for International Development, says Antony Blinken

WASHINGTON:

The US will provide nearly $55 million in aid to those impacted by an earthquake last week that struck eastern Afghanistan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday.

The additional immediate humanitarian assistance will go through the US Agency for International Development, the top diplomat said in a statement and added that the new funding brings total US humanitarian assistance to more than $774 million in the last year.

"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," said Blinken.

"Assistance will be provided for water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies to prevent waterborne disease outbreak in the aftermath of this natural disaster. The funding will also support other high need areas throughout the country," he added.

A deadly overnight magnitude-6.1 earthquake has killed 1,150 people since last Tuesday, while more than 1,600 others wounded in the country’s east.

About 1,800 houses have collapsed.