In a harrowing turn of events, a powerful magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck western Afghanistan on Saturday, resulting in one reported death and dozens of injuries, with authorities fearing the toll could rise further due to reports of landslides and building collapses.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of the earthquake was located 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Herat, the region’s largest city. The seismic event was followed by five aftershocks with magnitudes of 5.5, 4.7, 6.3, 5.9, and 4.6, further unsettling the affected area.
Residents and shopkeepers in Herat city experienced panic as the earthquake struck around 11 am (6:30 am GMT). The initial shock resulted in 25 injuries and one fatality, as confirmed by a spokesman from the Taliban government.
Bashir Ahmad, a 45-year-old resident of Herat, recounted the terrifying experience, stating, “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. I am not able to contact my family, network connections are disconnected. I am too worried and scared; it was horrifying.”
Mullah Jan Sayeq, a spokesman for the National Disaster Management Authority, expressed concerns that the initial toll was “preliminary” and could increase, particularly in rural and mountainous areas where landslides were reported.
As the aftershocks continued, crowds, including women and children, gathered in the wide streets of Herat, away from tall buildings, to ensure their safety. The USGS issued a preliminary report suggesting that hundreds of fatalities were possible, describing the disaster as potentially widespread and requiring a regional or national level response.
Initially, the USGS reported the magnitude of the first earthquake as 6.2, with a shallow depth of just 14 kilometers.
Herat, located approximately 120 kilometers east of the border with Iran, is considered the cultural capital of Afghanistan and serves as the capital of Herat province, home to an estimated population of 1.9 million, according to 2019 World Bank data.
This earthquake adds to a series of seismic events in Afghanistan’s recent history. In June of the previous year, a 5.9-magnitude quake claimed over 1,000 lives and displaced tens of thousands in the province of Paktika, marking the deadliest earthquake in Afghanistan in nearly 25 years.
In March of the current year, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake led to the loss of 13 lives in Afghanistan and Pakistan, striking near Jurm in northeastern Afghanistan.
Afghanistan, situated in a seismically active region near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, frequently experiences earthquakes. The country is currently grappling with a humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the widespread withdrawal of foreign aid following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
