ISLAMABAD: The Taliban administration reported on Sunday that powerful earthquakes in Afghanistan have claimed the lives of over 2,000 people and left more than 9,000 injured. These quakes mark the deadliest tremors the earthquake-prone mountainous country has experienced in years.
Amid the confusion, the death toll from Saturday’s quakes spiked, increasing from the 500 reported on Sunday morning by a Red Crescent spokesperson to 2,053 according to Mullah Janan Sayeeq, spokesman for the Ministry of Disasters.
The quakes, located 35 km (20 miles) northwest of the city of Herat, with one measuring 6.2 magnitude, were reported by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Authorities transported more than 200 deceased individuals to various hospitals, as confirmed by a Herat health department official identified as Dr. Danish. He noted that most of the victims were women and children, with bodies being taken to multiple locations, including military bases and hospitals.
Herat Earthquakes Amid Afghanistan’s Crisis
The quakes induced panic in Herat, as reported by a resident named Naseema on Saturday, who mentioned that people had evacuated their houses and taken to the streets. The city also experienced subsequent tremors.
Herat, situated 120 kilometers east of the Iranian border, holds the status of being the cultural capital of Afghanistan. It serves as the capital of Herat province, with an estimated population of 1.9 million according to 2019 World Bank data.
Afghanistan frequently experiences earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, situated near the convergence of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. In June of the previous year, a 5.9-magnitude quake, the deadliest in Afghanistan in nearly a quarter of a century, resulted in over 1,000 casualties and also left tens of thousands homeless in the impoverished province of Paktika.
Notably, Afghanistan is grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis following the withdrawal of foreign aid amid the return of the Taliban to power in 2021.
Pakistan offers support
The Foreign Office (FO) expressed deep sorrow for the earthquake in Afghanistan, offering condolences to victims’ families and pledging support.
Ex-Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief and extended condolences.
