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KABUL – Just a week after devastating quakes rocked the region, Afghanistan’s Herat province experienced another powerful jolt, further deepening the humanitarian crisis. The city of Herat, where residents had just begun to return to their homes, was shaken by this latest earthquake, sending shockwaves through a community still reeling from the previous disaster.
The earthquake occurred on a Sunday, striking just after 8:00 am, with its epicenter located 33 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of Herat city, the capital of the same-named western province. The US Geological Survey reported aftershocks of magnitudes 5.4 and 4.2, compounding the trauma for the local population.
Abdul Qadeem Mohammadi, the head doctor at Herat Regional Hospital, reported, “So far, 93 injured and one fatality have been registered.” However, national disaster management officials are still in the process of assessing the full extent of the destruction.
This second major quake follows another magnitude 6.3 earthquake and eight powerful aftershocks that struck the same region on October 7, toppling numerous rural homes. The initial quakes, according to the Taliban government, claimed over 2,000 lives, while the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated the toll to be nearly 1,400.
The subsequent tremor of similar intensity added to the misery, causing further casualties and leaving thousands of residents without shelter. The situation was exacerbated by dust storms that damaged the tents survivors were living in.
In response to the precarious state of local jails due to earthquake damage, authorities released more than 528 prisoners from Herat and neighboring Badghis province. The decision to free these individuals was made because the prisons were at risk of collapsing.
The WHO reports that nearly 20,000 people have been affected by this series of disasters, with women and children comprising most of the fatalities. Many residents now find themselves living amidst the ruins of their homes, where entire families were tragically wiped out.
Earthquakes are a common occurrence in western and central Afghanistan, primarily resulting from the movement of the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Rebuilding and providing shelter on a large scale pose significant challenges for Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, who have had strained relations with international aid organizations.
Homes in rural Afghanistan are typically constructed from mud with wooden support poles, lacking steel or concrete reinforcement. Furthermore, multi-generational extended families often reside under the same roof, making communities highly vulnerable to the devastating impact of serious earthquakes. The region faces a long and arduous path to recovery as it grapples with the aftermath of these natural disasters.
