UAE opens field hospital and continues sending aid to quake-hit Afghanistan

Relief planes carrying food and medical supplies took off on Saturday

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  The UAE has launched a humanitarian operation in Herat, Afghanistan, to provide essential assistance to people affected by the earthquake that struck last week. All photos: Wam

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  State-of-the-art medical facilities are in place

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  The UAE field hospital

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  Tonnes of relief aid, including 500 tents and food parcels, have been sent by the UAE

The UAE has opened a field hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, after multiple earthquakes devastated the country.

The humanitarian operation will provide medical assistance to the Afghan people, reported Wam.

The opening of the hospital on Saturday morning comes as more aid was flown in from the Emirates.

Fifty-three additional tonnes of relief aid, including 500 tents and food parcels, were flown in on two aircraft as part of the established air bridge between the UAE and Afghanistan.

“For the fifth consecutive day, the UAE humanitarian air bridge continues to provide supplies to meet the basic needs of the people of Afghanistan,” said Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Development and International Organisations Affairs.

Several planes most recently took off from the Emirates on Friday morning, carrying food and medical supplies.

It was estimated that thousands of people died across the Herat region in last Saturday's 6.3-magnitude quake.

Taliban officials said the death toll was at least 2,400 people, with about 2,000 injured.

Survivors and volunteers said they were having to use bulldozers to dig graves for the victims.

Another 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck on Wednesday, about 28 kilometres outside of Herat, followed by a third of similar magnitude on Sunday morning northwest of the city.

While no deaths were reported, dozens of people were injured and hundreds of homes damaged.