STORY: China's aid eases misery of quake-affected Afghans in chilly winter
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 11, 2024
DATELINE: Feb. 22, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:53
LOCATION: HERAT, Afghanistan
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the quake-affected areas
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Dari): GHULAM REZA, Gazara resident
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Dari): MOHAMMAD, Quake victim
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Pashto): MOHAMMAD MUSA ASHARI, Herat's provincial director for natural disaster management authority

STORYLINE:

Surviving the devastating earthquake last October, Ghulam Reza, a resident of Gazara locality in west Afghanistan's Herat province, thanked China for sending assistance to the quake-affected families ahead of the chilly winter.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (Dari): GHULAM REZA, Gazara resident
"I am thankful to China for sending assistance to our area which has covered about 50 to 60 families. There could be a catastrophe in the absence of humanitarian assistance."

Around 800 families live in Gazara, and 90 percent of the villagers are living in poverty.
   
A 6.3 magnitude tremor and several aftershocks struck Herat province last October, causing thousands of casualties and rendering thousands of others homeless.
   
SOUNDBITE 2 (Dari): MOHAMMAD, Quake victim
"God bless China and any other country that assists us. We are thankful for their assistance. I have received two blankets that keep us warm in the winter and we are happy."
  
SOUNDBITE 3 (Pashto): MOHAMMAD MUSA ASHARI, Herat's provincial director for natural disaster management authority
"China is a good and friendly neighbor that sent aid to the quake-affected families on time in the hours of need. The assistance which includes tents reached on time and was distributed to the needy people."
   
The first batch of earthquake relief supplies donated by the Chinese government arrived at Afghanistan's Herat International Airport on Oct. 15, 2023 and the second batch arrived on Nov. 16.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Herat, Afghanistan.
(XHTV)