ISLAMABAD: A powerful earthquake struck the western city of Herat in Afghanistan, causing at least 120 fatalities and injuring over 1,000 people, according to authorities.
Mosa Ashari, the province’s disaster management chief, reported that they have recorded over 1,000 injuries among women, children, and elderly citizens, with approximately 120 fatalities thus far.
The US Geological Survey revealed that the epicenter was 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Afghanistan’s largest city, followed by five aftershocks with magnitudes of 5.5, 4.7, 6.3, 5.9, and 4.6.
The earthquake near the Iranian border inflicted significant damage to residences and buildings, trapping people under debris.
Survivors of the earthquake shared their experiences, with one resident from Herat recounting, “While we were in our offices, the building suddenly started shaking. Wall plaster fell, walls developed cracks, and some parts of the building collapsed.”
Earlier reports indicated a death toll of 15; however, authorities had cautioned that this number could rise once the rescue operation assessed the extent of the disaster’s destruction.
A video purportedly from the Afghan province depicted numerous casualties receiving treatment with portable intravenous drips on the tarmac outside the main building.
Other footage showcased the devastation in Herat’s Injil district, where the debris from destroyed buildings obstructed roads, hindering rescue efforts.
A student, the last to evacuate his classroom during the earthquake, described the situation as “horrible” and unlike anything he had ever experienced.
As the earthquake struck, crowds of residents and shopkeepers evacuated buildings around 11:00 am, resulting in 25 injuries and one fatality, as reported by a Taliban government spokesperson.
Afghanistan has experienced multiple earthquakes in the past, with a 5.9 magnitude earthquake in the province of Paktika in June of the previous year claiming over 1,000 lives and leaving tens of thousands without homes.
