Over 930 families receive cash assistance in Afghanistan

KABUL, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A total of 934 families received cash assistance in two Afghan provinces on Sunday, the authorities said on Monday.

In the northern Sari Pul province, 334 natural disaster-affected families received 12,600 afghani (about 143 U.S. dollars) for each, the Office of the State Minister for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement.

Besides, provincial disaster management officials distributed 8,100 afghani to 600 destitute families each in the eastern Nangarhar province, according to the ministry.

Two international humanitarian agencies supported the ministry in the provision and distribution of the assistance, and the families were identified by surveys jointly conducted by the provincial officials and members of the aid agencies, according to the source.

More than 22 million Afghans out of some 35 million of the country's population are facing acute food shortages and the country would face humanitarian catastrophe if not assisted, according to aid agencies' reports.