A powerful earthquake hit Afghanistan and killed over 2,000 people across the country, media outlets reported on Sunday.
On a fateful Saturday, merely 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of the city of Herat in the Herat province, a seismic event measuring 6.3 in magnitude shook the area, its impacts reverberating across multiple provinces.
The Taliban’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mojahid, has reported a grievous loss of 2,053 lives with an additional 1,240 individuals sustaining injuries.
Furthermore, the earthquake has rendered 1,320 houses either entirely or partially uninhabitable. With the real possibility of these numbers escalating, fears among authorities and residents alike are palpable.
Efforts to extend a helping hand are underway as rescue squads have made their way to the devastated province of Herat, providing not only their expertise but also bringing along essential items like food, water, medicine, and clothing. The tragedy was not isolated to Herat alone, as ensuing aftershocks were experienced in the adjacent provinces of Badghis and Farah.
Contrastingly, earlier evaluations from the United Nations conveyed a comparatively lower impact, citing approximately 100 fatalities and 500 injuries.
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) disclosed that an estimated 500 houses were obliterated and an additional 135 structures were damaged, affecting around 4,200 people or 600 families to varying degrees.
The aftermath witnessed scenes of colossal debris mounds following the collapse of structures, with survivors congregating in the streets, seeking safety amidst the ruins.
The UN identified Mahal Wadakah as the most severely impacted village, accounting for at least 20 of the recorded fatalities, with additional areas such as Dasht Hows, Bahadorzai, Zoryan, and Koshkak similarly affected.
Moreover, around 300 families, totaling approximately 2,100 individuals, have reportedly sought refuge in Herat City, finding shelter in deserted buildings.
This earthquake compounds Afghanistan’s afflictions, as the nation has been substantially marred by a chain of seismic events amidst prevailing economic and hunger crises, resulting in the displacement and death of tens of thousands.
Afghanistan, perpetually embroiled in conflict and being among the most impoverished nations in Asia, finds its ability to respond to natural disasters stifled further since the Taliban’s ascension to power in 2021 after the tumultuous US withdrawal, leading to the exodus of numerous international aid organizations.
