Global RApid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) Report Eastern Afghanistan Earthquake - August 31, 2025 (Data as of September 23, 2025)

The report provides a rapid post-disaster damage estimation following the 31 August 2025 earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan, particularly affecting Kunarha, Nangarhar, and Laghman provinces. The event caused widespread destruction of housing, public infrastructure, schools, health facilities, water systems, and agricultural assets. Thousands of fatalities and injuries were reported, with women and girls disproportionately affected. Many villages were severely damaged or nearly destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of people required humanitarian assistance.

The assessment applies the World Bank’s Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) methodology, combining hazard modeling, exposure modeling, and capital stock assessment. It utilizes seismic hazard data (including ShakeMap), building typologies, census information, remote sensing data, and reported damage sources to estimate losses. The analysis includes a detailed exposure model covering residential and non-residential buildings, infrastructure, and productive sectors, supported by multiple global datasets and historical damage records.

In addition to estimating physical damage, the report integrates a Socioeconomic Vulnerability Index (SoVI) to assess how pre-existing fragilities—such as gender inequality, limited market access, poverty, and conflict—shape recovery prospects. The findings provide an evidence base to inform recovery planning, humanitarian assistance, and future Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) processes. The report supports data-driven decision-making for resilient reconstruction and long-term disaster risk reduction in Afghanistan.