Emergency Response to 07 October Earthquake in Herat ltpgtOn 7 October 2023, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck 40km west of Herat City in Herat Province, Western Afghanistan. Several aftershocks have occurred since then, with the initial quake felt in neighboring Badghis and Farah provinces. According to the earthquake Initial Survey Report, conducted jointly by several humanitarian actors present in the area including IOM, WFP, IRC, DRC, Help, UNHCR, DoEC in Zinda Jan District in Herat, at least nine villages were completely destroyed, and two more villages were partially affected. lt/pgtltpgtTo date, 1,023 people are reported to have been killed and 1,663 people injured across eleven villages of Zindajan district, Herat Province, where 100 per cent of homes are estimated to have been completely destroyed. A further 516 people (203 men and 213 women) are reported to be missing from the district. In total, 11,585 people (1,655 families) are assessed to have been affected to date across Zindajan district (1,320 families), and Injil (150 families), Gulran (95 families), Kohsan (60 families) and Kushk (Robat-e-Sagani) districts (30 families). The number of casualties and affected households affected is expected to rise as remote areas are reached and assessments are completed. In Naieb Rafi village, the de- facto authorities (DfA), transported women and children whose homes had been completely destroyed to Herat City overnight and today. So far, assessments have identified 33 unaccompanied minors, 15 unaccompanied older people, and 48 female-headed households in the Zindajan district. The majority of those injured are being treated in the Herat Regional Hospital, which is serving as the main referral point for earthquake victims. The hospital is currently treating 552 patients (81 men, 199 women, 229 children and 43 unknown). It has also confirmed the deaths of 252 individuals . On 8 October, 121 households displaced from Zindajan district to Herat city were assessed and supported with non-food items (NFIs). Other forms of assistance being provided include emergency shelter (tents), high-energy biscuits, WASH (hygiene kits, water buckets, jerrycans, chlorine, soap and water trucking), and protection (dignity kits and psychosocial support). UNHCR team is continuing assessments in the rest of the affected areas at the time of writing (09 Oct.). ltbrgtlt/pgtltpgtltspan style="font-size: 14px"gtUNHCR will respond immediately to the situation with the distribution of emergency family tents, cash for rent and core relief items in Herat to some 3,910 vulnerable families in Gulan, Herat, Injil, Kohsan, Kushk and Zindajan districts that were affected including the injured, displaced, elderly, women and children, and persons with disabilities withlt/spangtltspan style="font-size: 14px"gt: lt/spangtlt/pgtltpgt - Cash for rent to 500 households (3,500 persons) that have forcibly moved to Herat city.lt/pgtltpgt - Family tents - 1,900 households (13,300 persons).lt/pgtltpgt - Core relief items - 1,510 households (10,570 persons) ltspan style="font-size: 14px"gtincluding lt/spangtltspan style="font-size: 14px"gtNFIs 03 Blankets, 02 Plastic Sheets, 02 Jerry Cans, 01 Kitchen Set, 01 Gas Cylinder, 01 Metallic Bucket, 03 Bath Soap and 03 Laundry Soap per household and lt/spangtltspan style="font-size: 14px"gtHygiene kits (02 Laundry Soap, 03 Under Pants, 02 Sanitary napkins per household). lt/spangtltspan style="font-size: 14px"gtThe distributions will be carried out directly by UNHCR and partner Ansari Rehabilitation Association for Afghanistan (ARAA). No partner costs will be involved in this action as UNHCR considers this direct implementation.lt/spangtlt/pgt