AKHTAR JAN, Afghanistan: Village life has always been tough for Afghans in the rugged mountains of the east, but compared to what they are enduring today it was paradise. "If life before was not really good — because for years there was war — the earthquake has made it even harder for us," says Malin Jan, who lost two daughters in the quake. All 14 houses in his village of Akhtar Jan were flattened, and survivors — including some from outlying hamlets — are now living in tents among the ruins. AFP PHOTOSanitary conditions are likely to deteriorate rapidly — there are no toilets, and people have to draw water from a well to wash."Before the earthquake, life was nice and beautiful," says villager Abdu Rahman Abid. On Saturday, the UN's top official in the country, Ramiz Alakbarov, arrived from Kabul by helicopter to visit the region — including the village of Akhtar Jan — with representatives of each UN agency.

Source: Manila Times June 26, 2022 08:05 UTC