This recent seismic event registered a magnitude of 6.3 and occurred approximately 28 kilometers outside Herat, the provincial capital of Herat province.
KABUL: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Oct 11th, 2023) Chahak, Afghanistan, another powerful earthquake struck, following a prior quake that claimed the lives of over 2,000 individuals and razed entire villages.
This recent seismic event registered a magnitude of 6.3 and occurred approximately 28 kilometers outside Herat, the provincial capital of Herat province. It was also recorded as being 10 kilometers deep, according to data from the US Geological Survey.
The earthquake on Wednesday caused injuries to at least 80 people and resulted in a landslide that obstructed the Primary Herat-Torghondi highway, as reported by Information Ministry spokesman Abdul Wahid Rayan.
Chahak village, which had remained untouched by the preceding tremors, saw all 700 of its homes flattened. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties in Chahak, as residents had sought refuge in tents, fearing further tremors.
The epicenter of the initial earthquake on Saturday was situated about 40 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital. Numerous subsequent aftershocks, including a 6.3 magnitude tremor on the same day, have exacerbated the crisis.
Taliban officials confirmed that the previous earthquakes resulted in more than 2,000 deaths in Herat, but they did not provide a detailed breakdown of the casualties.
The affected villages in the region have been left in ruins, with the survivors working diligently to create mass burial sites for the deceased. In Naib Rafi, almost no one survived except for individuals working outdoors when the earthquake struck. They spent hours digging graves with excavators.
In the Zinda Jan district, a bulldozer was employed to clear space for a long line of graves on a desolate field. The extent of destruction has been overwhelming, making it incredibly challenging to locate family members among the rubble and bury them.
According to the Taliban, nearly 2,000 houses in 20 villages were destroyed, with only one government-run hospital serving the affected area.
On Tuesday, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq disclosed that Zinda Jan was the most severely impacted area, with over 1,300 fatalities and nearly 500 individuals reported as missing. Satellite imagery from the UN also indicated extensive devastation in the Injil district.
The earthquake has taken a severe toll on children, leading to significant psychological distress, as cautioned by humanitarian colleagues.
