More than 260,000 children have been affected by the recent earthquake in eastern Afghanistan, with about 280 left without parents, Save the Children said Thursday.

The aid group said thousands of survivors will require long-term support and called for urgent assistance to meet immediate needs. It noted that children are struggling with grief and trauma as aftershocks continue to unsettle affected communities.

Save the Children described the quake as Afghanistan’s deadliest in nearly 30 years. The organisation also reported a severe shortage of temporary shelters, with some survivors forced to use rice sacks as bedding.