Devastating 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Afghanistan’s Herat Province

A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan’s Herat province, just days after a prior quake in the same northwestern region claimed over 1,000 lives. The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 9.6 kilometers (6 miles), with its epicenter located approximately 29 kilometers north of Herat, according to the US Geological Survey.
The tremors prompted the deployment of emergency services and rescue teams, resulting in at least 80 reported injuries. A landslide caused by the earthquake blocked the main Herat-Torghondi highway, according to Information Ministry spokesman Abdul Wahid Rayan.
In Chahak village, around 700 houses have been reduced to rubble. Official casualty figures from the recent earthquake were not immediately available.
Mobile medical teams and officials are working together to transport injured individuals to hospitals, as stated by Herat’s governor’s office.
Afghanistan’s population is grappling with acute humanitarian crises following the series of deadly earthquakes. The Taliban-led government initially reported over 2,400 deaths and 2,000 injuries from the Saturday earthquake in Herat. Afghan Public Health Minister Qalandar Ebad later revised the toll to around 1,000, citing challenges in reporting due to the area’s remoteness and double counting by agencies involved in rescue efforts.
Saturday’s quake led to the destruction of at least 11 villages in Herat province’s Zenda Jan district, according to the UN. Fearing further earthquakes, residents in Herat have taken to sleeping in tents at night.
While severe earthquakes are common in Afghanistan, Saturday’s event was the most devastating to hit the country in 25 years.
In response to the crisis, the European Union has pledged 3.5 million euros ($3.71 million) in emergency humanitarian aid, in addition to the 2.5 million euros allocated for ongoing relief efforts on the ground. The EU’s statement noted that this funding complements the existing 89 million euros designated for humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan.
The UN’s humanitarian coordinator is set to provide a $5 million emergency reserve allocation from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF). Pakistan, Iran, and China have agreed to send relief items such as food, blankets, medicines, tents, and funds, while Turkey, Iran, and Abu Dhabi have also committed to providing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.