KABUL, Afghanistan — As the sun set on Afghanistan, dem no get rest as a 6.0 magnitude earthquake rock the eastern part of the country. Na midnight, people dey sleep for their houses when the ground begin to shake, and now, the country dey cry for over 800 pipo wey don die. This one no be small wahala o, as many people dey trapped under rubble for their villages.
The quake hit na just 8 kilometers deep, which make am more destructive. Nangarhar and Kunar provinces suffer pass, but even people for Kabul and Pakistan feel the tremor. Na wah! Ocha, the UN humanitarian agency, dey report say as much as 12,000 people fit don feel the impact, with buildings and infrastructure don suffer plenty damage.
Rescue crews don dey try sha, but the mountainous terrain dey pose gbagba for dem. Hed dey paining me say dem dey struggle to reach people wey need help quick-quick (Na dem go dey chop fancy rice, while we dey here dey eat garri). I dey hear say some pipo dey even claw through debris with their bare hands, looking for missing loved ones. E clear say dem need help now pass before dem go begin to raise dead body for ground.
We see video wey show ambu-lances dey bring victims from remote areas go Nangarhar Regional Hospital. Dem say at least 460 victims don reach this hospital, with 250 don enter for admission while the others don waka go back home after treatment. But the scene be serious – pipo dey rush up and down, volunteers dey work like say dem dey run Olympic race.
I come see one old woman wey dey burst cry because she lost plenty of her family members. She dey shout, and e dey break my heart. Another old man just dey look lost like person wey miss bus. Them no fit talk, dem just dey in shock (After all dis stress, I no fit imagine wetin gree dem if dem no fit follow emergency plan).
As the reports don dey roll out, Indian Foreign Minister say India go support Afghanistan during dis time wey dem need help pass. Meanwhile, Pakistan and Japan don also join hand to show solidarity. Pipo dey donate blood for victims everywhere — even for Kandahar, dem dey organize blood drive.
I still dey wonder how dem go take manage the health crisis after dis earthquake. According to wetin we hear from local health authorities, plenty pipo still dey wait for treatment. Hospitals don dey overflow — talkative padi wan tell me say dem fit open hospital for outside as dem dey run out of space.
Accord to Taliban spokesperson, dem don form committee for inside their government to help the victims, and dem dey plan to evacuate those wey still dey trapped and provide food. But the roads don block, and landslides dey stop access. I dey fear say the casualty numbers fit increase as time dey go, especially as the emergency response no fit reach everywhere. This earthquake gree carry plenty pipo go meet their ancestors o.
Many eye-witnesses don talk say villages don flatten like pancake. One resident for Nurgal region don give us gist say nearly 95% of him village don scatter. Dem dey shout for help, say dem need ambulances, doctors, and every corner of relief efforts. E fit take time before dem go fit clear all the debris and help the wounded.
One thing wey clear be say, dis earthquake na one of the worst wey happen for Afghanistan this year. With existing struggles from recent conflicts and natural disasters, dis one go make dem humanitarian situation more severe. Time no dey wait for anybody, and Afghans dey need all hands on deck for help.
As we dey end this gist, we dey watch closely as the international community dey gather around to offer help. But we go continue to monitor the situation as e dey unfold and bring you updates. Dis na serious matter, my people. Na wetin we dey feel as we watch our brothers and sisters pass through this difficult time.
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