Rescuers Frantically Search for Survivors Amidst Ruins Following Earthquakes Claiming Over 2,000 Lives in Afghanistan

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In a desperate effort to locate and save victims, individuals in western Afghanistan resorted to using their hands and shovels to sift through the debris on Sunday. These actions follow devastating earthquakes that resulted in a confirmed death toll of at least 2,000 individuals.

Complete villages have been leveled, leaving residents trapped under the remains of their homes and awaiting rescue efforts without even basic excavation tools like shovels.

Victims, both living and deceased, found themselves entangled in ruins, their features coated with layers of dust. Government representatives disclosed on Sunday that hundreds remain trapped, with over 1,000 sustaining injuries and more than 1,300 residences being utterly destroyed.

Omid Haqjoo, a photographer who toured four villages on Sunday, communicated with The Big Big News via telephone from Herat, Afghanistan’s fourth-largest city. He recounted, “The majority of individuals were in a state of shock… some found themselves unable to speak. Yet others were incapable of restraining their tears and screams.”

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The primary earthquake on Saturday, with a magnitude of 6.3, struck a highly populated region near Herat and was followed by significant aftershocks.

A spokesman for the Taliban government revealed on Sunday that, if verified, this would be one of the most fatal earthquakes to affect the nation in the past 20 years.

Another seismic event in June 2022 that struck eastern Afghanistan had resulted in the destruction of stone and mud-brick homes, claiming at least 1,000 lives.

Rescuers in Herat were able to extract a baby girl who was entombed in debris up to her neck. The infant was gingerly lifted from the rubble by a hand that rescuers identified as belonging to the child’s mother. It remains uncertain if the mother survived this ordeal. This footage was authenticated and disseminated online by The Big Big News.

The U.S. Geological Survey pinpointed the earthquake’s epicenter as being approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Herat. It was accompanied by three significant aftershocks, registering magnitudes of 6.3, 5.9, and 5.5, along with additional minor tremors.

Due to global reservations about direct engagement with the Taliban administration and a focus on other international crises, Afghanistan has yet to receive immediate global aid. Nearly 36 hours post the initial earthquake in Herat province, no planes carrying aid or specialists have arrived.

A limited number of countries have publicly pledged their assistance, among them neighboring China and Pakistan. Numerous aid organizations and NGOs have appealed to the international community to step forward.

The International Rescue Committee issued a warning that the scarcity of rescue equipment could result in an increased death toll in western Afghanistan due to the inability to extricate trapped survivors.

Salma Ben Aissa, the committee’s country director for Afghanistan, stated, “Disaster management resources are scarce and insufficient to meet the needs of those affected on the ground. The fatality counts are escalating with each passing hour.”

The injured are failing to receive requisite medical treatment due to inadequate healthcare infrastructure, contributing to further loss of life. Essential needs like food, clean water, and shelter are also in short supply, exacerbating public health risks.

Herat city has been largely deserted, as residents opt to sleep outdoors in fear of additional seismic activity. Nighttime temperatures are plunging to 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Jawed Niamati, a colleague of Ben Aissa.

Prompt global aid interventions were witnessed following earthquakes in Syria and Turkey earlier this year, which resulted in tens of thousands of casualties.

Abdul Wahid Rayan, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Culture, informed the public that hundreds of civilians remain buried under debris in Herat, and issued a plea for immediate assistance.

Multiple teams, comprising military and nonprofit organizations like the Red Crescent, have been mobilized to aid in rescue operations.

The United Nations migration agency has dispatched four ambulances furnished with medical and psychosocial support to the regional hospital. Several mobile health units are en route to Zenda Jan district, one of the most severely affected areas.

Medical tents have been established by Doctors Without Borders at Herat Regional Hospital to accommodate up to 80 patients. Over 300 patients have been treated thus far, as per agency reports.

Irfanullah Sharafzai, a spokesman for the Afghan Red Crescent Society, stated that seven rescue teams are currently operational, with additional units arriving from eight adjacent provinces. A temporary camp has also been established for those displaced by the disaster.

Aid organizations like the World Food Program were already active at the scene, providing essential items. Later in the day on Sunday, equipment was brought in from nearby villages to assist in ongoing rescue operations.

Omid Haqjoo, the photographer, cited survivors in saying that the initial earthquake was the most devastating in terms of damage and loss of life.

Arshad Malik, the country director for Afghanistan for Save the Children, described the extent of the disaster as horrific. He appealed for an “urgent infusion” of financial resources from the international community.

Officials from neighboring Pakistan have indicated that they are liaising with Afghan authorities to determine urgent needs.

Zhao Xing, China’s ambassador to Afghanistan, announced that both the Chinese government and charitable organizations are prepared to offer comprehensive assistance. “We are coordinating with Afghan governmental aid agencies to distribute support to those in need,” he stated.

Afghan cricket star Rashid Khan pledged to donate all his earnings from the Cricket World Cup to aid survivors in Herat. A fundraising campaign is forthcoming.

Japan’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Takashi Okada, expressed his condolences and deep sorrow upon learning of the tragedy in Herat province via social media.

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Contributions to this report were made by Big Big News writer Rahim Faiez.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Afghanistan Earthquake Rescue Efforts

More about Afghanistan Earthquake Rescue Efforts

• Earthquake Magnitude Scale
• Afghan Red Crescent Society
• United Nations Humanitarian Aid
• International Rescue Committee
• Doctors Without Borders
• US Geological Survey Earthquake Information
• Global Seismic Activity
• Taliban Administration in Afghanistan
• Disaster Management and Preparedness
• Health Infrastructure in Afghanistan