HERAT: A powerful magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck western Afghanistan on Saturday, leaving at least 15 people dead and 78 injured, officials said. The quake’s epicenter was located 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Herat, the region’s largest city, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was followed by seven aftershocks ranging from magnitudes 4.6 to 6.3.
Residents in Herat fled their buildings in panic as the quake rattled the city around 11:00 am (0630 GMT). “We were in our offices and suddenly the building started shaking. Wall plasters started to fall down and the walls got cracks, some walls and parts of the building collapsed,” said Bashir Ahmad, a 45-year-old resident of Herat.
The public health director of Herat province, Mohammad Taleb Shahid, confirmed the death toll and the number of injuries but expressed concerns that the figures might rise. He stated, “These are the numbers that have been brought to the central hospital so far, but this is not the final figure. We have information that people are buried under rubble.”
According to a preliminary report by USGS, there is a significant risk of more casualties, and the disaster could have widespread implications. The earthquake, with a shallow depth of just 14 kilometers, triggered landslides in rural and mountainous areas, complicating rescue efforts.
Herat, situated 120 kilometers east of the border with Iran, is recognized as the cultural capital of Afghanistan and is the capital of Herat province, which has a population of approximately 1.9 million people.
Earthquakes in Afghanistan
Afghanistan, located near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, is prone to frequent earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range. Last year, the country experienced a deadly 5.9-magnitude earthquake in the province of Paktika, resulting in over 1,000 casualties and leaving tens of thousands homeless. In March of this year, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake near Jurm in northeastern Afghanistan claimed 13 lives in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
