On 8th October (Sunday), the Taliban spokesperson informed that more than 2,000 people had died in multiple earthquakes that hit the earthquake-prone mountainous country, Afghanistan. These successive earthquakes are one of the deadliest tremors in years leaving more than 9,000 injured.
I learned with great sadness about the tragic consequences of the earthquake that struck the western provinces (Herat, Farah, and Badghis) of Afghanistan.
— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) October 8, 2023
I am donating all of my #CWC23 match fees to help the affected people.
Soon, we will be launching a fundraising campaign to… pic.twitter.com/dHAO1IGQlq
Speaking to Reuters, Mullah Janan Sayeeq, spokesman for the Ministry of Disasters, stated that 2,053 people were dead, 9,240 injured and 1,329 houses were damaged or destroyed in these tremors.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Culture, Abdul Wahid Rayan stated that the death toll in Herat has surged. He added that approximately six villages lie in ruins and hundreds of civilians are feared to be trapped underneath the debris.
"Devastating news from Zindajan and Ghorian districts in Herat.
— Nilofar Ayoubi 🇦🇫 (@NilofarAyoubi) October 7, 2023
12 villages completely destroyed, with children being the majority of victims. Our hearts go out to the affected families. Praying for the safety of the 1,500 still unaccounted for. #Herat #Afghanistan… pic.twitter.com/MRFSFyGkXR
Videos circulating on social media show people gathered in the streets by hundreds both outside their residences and workplaces within Herat city.
#Afghanistan has just been hit by a devastating earthquake, second one in two months, killing and injuring hundreds of people.
— World Food Programme in Afghanistan (@WFP_Afghanistan) October 8, 2023
Our thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones and homes across the Western region. pic.twitter.com/zi9gsx2dSC
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quakes hit 35 km (20 miles) northwest of the city of Herat, and out of them, the magnitude of one earthquake was registered around 6.3 shocked Aghanistan’s Herat on 7th October (Saturday). According to its website, seven earthquakes have been recorded so far.
Additionally, the USGS also detected two significant 6.3 magnitude earthquakes with one 33 kilometres (20.5 miles) north-northeast of Zindah Jan, and another 29 kilometres (18 miles) north-northeast of Zindah Jan, approximately 43 kilometres (26 miles) west of Herat city. The seismic activity has raised concerns among local residents and prompted further monitoring by geological experts.
A Herat health department official, who identified himself as Dr Danish, told Reuters that more than 200 dead had been brought to different hospitals and the majority of them were women and children. He stated that bodies had been taken to several places – military bases, and hospitals.
Afghanistan is prone to frequent earthquakes, particularly within the Hindu Kush mountain range. These seismic events are a result of the convergence of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates in this area. In June 2022, a strong earthquake rocked the mountainous eastern region of Afghanistan, resulting in the loss of over 1,000 lives and causing injuries to approximately 1,500 people.
