By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Afghanistan has left hundreds of thousands without shelter, prompting international aid responses and quiet sorrow within Sherbrooke’s Afghan immigrant community. While the local ties to the hardest-hit regions are limited, the emotional toll is still being felt.
“People are sad”: local Afghani leader shares community reaction
M Shah Ismatullah Habibi, a Sherbrooke-based spokesperson and representative for the local Afghan community, spoke with The Record on Monday. Although most Afghani families in Sherbrooke hail from Kabul and the northern regions of the country, rather than the east where the earthquake struck, Habibi confirmed that the tragedy has had a psychological impact.
“Even if not from the same area, the people are sad [about] what is happening,” Habibi said, noting that Afghanistan’s mountainous terrain and poor infrastructure have made rescue and relief efforts extremely difficult.
The earthquake hit while people were asleep in their homes, collapsing thousands of mud-brick dwellings and forcing entire communities into the open. According to Habibi, the government in Afghanistan is ill-equipped to assist. “The Taliban government, these people don’t have a lot of help giving to the people,” he said. “Economy is very bad also.”
Though no Sherbrooke families appear to have been directly impacted, the news has travelled fast among the diaspora. “I heard it from media, some friends,” Habibi said. “There [are] no highways there… it’s very difficult for the people.”
Limited local action—but not for lack of concern
Habibi confirmed that no formal relief efforts have been organized by Sherbrooke’s Afghan community. “It’s very difficult to send [help] from here, from Canada,” he said, adding that newcomers in the Eastern Townships are often still struggling to settle themselves.
“I didn’t hear anything [locally] for about help. The economy here [for immigrants] is difficult. A lot of them are newcomers,” he explained. “Even if the people are able to send money, it’s difficult to get it to the right people.”
He also said that no federal officials or aid organizations have reached out to his community for coordination or support.
ShelterBox responds internationally
While local activity is minimal, organizations like ShelterBox Canada have launched emergency efforts to respond to the devastation. The charity, which provides emergency shelter and essential aid, announced it is working with on-the-ground partners in Afghanistan to deliver robust tents, water filters, blankets, and other critical supplies.
“This is a catastrophe layered on top of an existing crisis,” said ShelterBox Canada Executive Director Stephanie Christensen in a press release. Even before the earthquake, nearly half of Afghanistan’s population—approximately 23 million people—were already in need of humanitarian assistance. “People are now sleeping outside, exposed to the elements and in fear of aftershocks.”
ShelterBox noted that many families returning to Afghanistan after fleeing to Pakistan and Iran in recent years are now finding their homes destroyed or occupied. An estimated 30,000 people are crossing remote borders daily with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Access remains one of the greatest challenges. Rugged terrain, landslides, and damaged roads have significantly slowed the delivery of aid. ShelterBox is exploring both global stockpiles and local procurement options to get tents into the disaster zone as fast as possible.
Canadians wishing to contribute to ShelterBox’s efforts can do so via their website: www.shelterboxcanada.org.