Officials say that after the earthquake in western Afghanistan, at least 15 people have died, and 78 are injured in a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. According to American geological survey, the earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck about 40 kilometers from the western city of Herat, near the Iran border, around 11:00 local time (06:30 GMT).
Afghan officials reported that several buildings were damaged, trapping people in rubble. After the initial earthquake, at least three powerful aftershocks occurred. “We were at our offices when the building suddenly began to tremble. The walls started to develop cracks and lose plaster. One resident of Herat, Bashir Ahmad, told the AFP news agency that “some walls and portions of the building collapsed.”
At least 15 people have been killed and 78 injured after an earthquake hit western Afghanistan
“I can’t contact my family; the network connection has been cut off. I am very worried and scared; it was terrifying,” he added. A health official stated that more than 70 injured people are being treated at the main hospital in the city. After the earth quake began, the last student evacuating the classroom safely, Idris Arsalan, told AFP, “The situation was very terrible; I had never experienced anything like this before.”
Herat is located 120 kilometers east of the Iran border and is considered the cultural capital of Afghanistan. According to 2019 World Bank figures, an estimated 1.9 million people reside in the province.
Earthquakes are common in the country, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range, as it is situated near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. Last June, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck the Paktika province, resulting in more than 1,000 casualties and leaving thousands homeless.