THE United Nations migration agency appealed on Thursday for funds to help over 134,000 Afghans, nearly two weeks after an earthquake killed more than 2,200 people in the country’s mountainous east.

Many of the quake-hit Afghans are homeless, sleeping in the open and desperate to return. Aid organisations are struggling to get tents and other assistance up the mountains,, and winter weather is expected in the coming weeks.

The International Organisation for Migration’s (IOM) chief of mission in Afghanistan Mihyung Park said the priority was not to “create a camp” for the displaced.

The deadly magnitude 6.0 quake on August 31 and aftershocks that followed also injured more than 3,600 people, Afghan authorities have said.

The IOM said that more than 7,000 homes were destroyed. Nearly half a million people have been affected in all.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said far more resources are needed, stressing the UN’s appeal for $139 million (£103m) to help 457,000 people over the next four months.