Powerful earthquake and aftershocks kill dozens and injure many more in western Afghanistan

A potent earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale, accompanied by substantial aftershocks, has resulted in a significant loss of life and numerous injuries in western Afghanistan. The country’s national disaster authority reported this calamity.

While the United Nations initially provided an estimate of 320 fatalities, they later clarified that the figure was still under verification. Local authorities, on the other hand, approximated the death toll at 100 individuals with 500 more sustaining injuries, as per an update from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The update also revealed that 465 houses had been reported as destroyed, with an additional 135 suffering damage.

The situation is expected to worsen as search and rescue operations continue, with reports suggesting that some individuals may still be trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed structures, according to the U.N.

Mohammad Abdullah Jan, a spokesperson for the disaster authority, disclosed that the Zenda Jan district in Herat province bore the brunt of the earthquake and its aftershocks, impacting four villages.

The United States Geological Survey pinpointed the quake’s epicenter approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Herat city. It was followed by three subsequent, powerful aftershocks measuring 6.3, 5.9, and 5.5 on the Richter scale, in addition to smaller tremors.

Residents of Herat city experienced at least five strong tremors around noon. Abdul Shakor Samadi, a resident of Herat city, recounted the scene, stating that all residents had evacuated their homes, leaving houses, offices, and shops deserted. Fear of further earthquakes kept them from returning indoors.

The World Health Organization in Afghanistan reported dispatching 12 ambulance vehicles to Zenda Jan for the evacuation of casualties to hospitals. They are actively assisting in the treatment of the wounded and assessing additional medical requirements.

Telephone communications in Herat were disrupted, impeding the gathering of detailed information from the affected regions. Videos circulating on social media depicted hundreds of people in the streets outside their homes and workplaces in Herat city.

It’s noteworthy that Herat province shares a border with Iran, and the quake’s tremors were also felt in the neighboring Afghan provinces of Farah and Badghis, according to local media reports.

Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban-appointed deputy prime minister for economic affairs, expressed his condolences to the victims in Herat and Badghis.

The Taliban has called upon local organizations to swiftly reach the earthquake-stricken areas to aid in transporting the injured to hospitals, providing shelter for the displaced, and delivering food to survivors. They have urged security agencies to utilize all available resources and facilities to rescue individuals trapped beneath debris. The Taliban also appealed to affluent citizens to extend any feasible cooperation and assistance to their afflicted compatriots.

It’s essential to note that in June 2022, a potent earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region in eastern Afghanistan, causing the collapse of stone and mud-brick homes. This earthquake was the deadliest in Afghanistan in two decades, resulting in the loss of at least 1,000 lives and injuring around 1,500 people.

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More about earthquake aftermath Afghanistan

• United Nations – Afghanistan
• U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Information
• World Health Organization in Afghanistan
• [Taliban Official Statements](Taliban Official Statements)
• [Previous Earthquake in Afghanistan – 2022](Previous Earthquake in Afghanistan – 2022)