Afghanistan is dealing with the aftermath of a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck roughly 25 miles west from its 3rd largest province, Herat, on Saturday. There was a series of eight vigorous aftershocks that jolted the collapsing area, with smaller aftershocks still shaking the region.
There have been 2,445 people reported dead and 2,440 injured so far, with these amounts expected to rise, especially with the lack of rescue equipment.
It is estimated that at least 20 villages and over 1,300 homes are completely flattened. It’s believed there are still several people under the debris.
For the past 2 nights, survivors have been sleeping amongst the rubble in hopes of finding their loved ones that are missing. With no home to go to, citizens also have been sleeping in public parks and city streets.
Residents are having a hard time getting health care and hospitals are extremely under-equipped. A medic at a Herat hospital said, “Vans filled with dead bodies are arriving here each minute. We are struggling with the very high number of injured people. Our morgue is out of capacity.”
The United Nations pledged to contribute aid with Turkey and Iran already sending assistance to the area so far. Additional aid agencies and non-profit organizations appealed for assistance from the international communities. It is difficult as several international aid agencies either vastly decreased their operations, or pulled out completely from Afghanistan when the Taliban overtook the country in 2021.
The governor of Herat, Noor Ahmad Islamjar said, “With winter approaching, the affected areas will soon experience extremely cold conditions. Many families not only have lost their homes but also their main breadwinners. They are in urgent need of immediate aid and suitable shelters.”
By - FZ
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