The earthquakes have been occurring on a weekly basis since September 2024. At least 18 tremors with high magnitude have been recorded to date, with constant tremors every 10-15 minutes. Families are struggling to rebuild and survive in an already challenging environment.
Two stories from the village of Saganto in the Dulecha district paint a vivid picture of the human cost of this disaster and the resilience of those affected.
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Mohammed: rebuilding after losing everything
The earthquakes have been occurring on a weekly basis since September 2024. At least 18 tremors with high magnitude have been recorded to date, with constant tremors every 10-15 minutes. Families are struggling to rebuild and survive in an already challenging environment.
Two stories from the village of Saganto in the Dulecha district paint a vivid picture of the human cost of this disaster and the resilience of those affected.
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Mohammed: rebuilding after losing everything

Mohammed, a young father of four, lived with his wife, Amina Hussein, in a modest home within the Kesem Sugar Factory compound.
He worked at the factory, where he earned approximately USD 65 per month. This, combined with the income from their five goats, enabled him to support his family and send his children to school. Life was modest but stable, and Mohammed had dreams of building a home of his own.
The earthquake destroyed everything we had
But those dreams were shattered when the earthquake struck.
“The earthquake destroyed everything we had,” Mohammed said. As the tremors intensified, their house shook violently. His children cried in terror as the fragile structure began to collapse. Faced with no other choice, Mohammed fled with his family to the Dayido relocation site on 4 January 2025, leaving behind their belongings and their old life.
Now in the relocation site, Mohammed is struggling to provide for his family. Using local materials, he has begun constructing a makeshift shelter, but without plastic sheeting, it remains unsafe and exposed to the elements. While the family has received some food aid, they urgently need plastic sheets, bedding, mats, cooking utensils, and other essentials to make their shelter liveable.
“We urgently need food, shelter and water to survive,” says Mohammed. “For the long term, we need to be resettled in a safe location.”
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Dahara: striving to keep her family safe

Dahara Umer, a 35-year-old mother of six, relied on farming to sustain her family. Her husband, Mohammed Kedir, tended to their cows and goats, while their children attended school. Their modest home was a safe haven, filled with the essentials they needed to thrive.
But everything changed when the earthquake hit.
“It was a tragedy,” Dahara recounts, her voice heavy with sorrow. “Our shelter and livelihood were destroyed. We lost everything and felt completely hopeless.”
As the tremors grew stronger, fear consumed the family.
“We lived in constant terror, unsure if we would survive. I cried endlessly, fearing for my children’s lives,” she recalls. When their house finally collapsed, the children were traumatised, crying and vomiting from the relentless shaking.
Water is critically short, and the food we’ve received is not enough
Desperate to find safety, Dahara convinced her husband to flee to the Dayido relocation site on 4 January 2025, leaving behind their cattle and belongings. Eventually, they managed to bring their cattle to the site with government assistance, but the challenges have been overwhelming.
“We received no shelter materials. Water is critically short, and the food we’ve received is not enough,” Dahara explains. Like Mohammed, she is trying to construct a shelter but has no plastic sheeting to protect her family. The ash-covered floor of their temporary home is unsafe, and they lack mats, bedding and basic supplies.
The situation for Dahara and her family is critical. “I need shelter, clean water, food and other assistance to keep my children safe and help us survive,” she says.

A call for support
The stories of Mohammed and Dahara give us a glimpse of the struggles faced by thousands of families in Afar. The region’s seismic activity has turned lives upside down, leaving many without homes, livelihoods or hope. While emergency aid has reached some, the needs remain immense.
At the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), we are working to support these communities with the essentials they need to rebuild their lives. But more help is urgently required to ensure families have what they need to survive as well as solutions for long-term resettlement.
We support refugees and displaced people in 40 countries around the world.