Back-to-back earthquakes slammed the western part of Afghanistan on Monday, killing at least 22 people, according to authorities.
In the northwest province of Badghis, houses and buildings collapsed because of the 4.9 and 5.3 magnitude earthquakes, as per the data from the US Geological Society.
A spokesperson revealed four children were also among those killed in the debris.
Over 700 homes were damaged, as per the reports. In Afghanistan, many homes are not as sturdy or well-built as they should be. So, earthquakes can inflict substantial damage.
On Monday, the USGS recorded two earthquakes that struck around 50 kilometres (31 miles) from Qala-e-Naw, the provincial capital. At around 3:00 pm local time, on Sunday afternoon, there was an earthquake followed by a second one at around 5:00 pm. Districts like Qadis and Mugr were particularly hit hard.
Mohammed Saleh Purdil, the Qadis district leader, has reported that the earthquake had destroyed multiple homes, killing women and children. Authorities like him have cautioned that the death toll might rise as rescuers go through the debris in this isolated area.
Badghis is bordering Turkmenistan in the northwestern corner of the country. It is regarded as one of Afghanistan’s poorest and least developed areas.
Impoverished after the Taliban’s takeover in August, Afghanistan is still grappling with a heavy debt load and a lack of supplies. On it, an earthquake poses a worrisome situation for the country.
Works at The Truth International Magazine. My area of interest includes international relations, peace & conflict studies, qualitative & quantitative research in social sciences, and world politics. Reach@ aimen.bukhari@tti.org.pk
