Kabul, Afghanistan – October 15, 2023 – A shallow 6.3 magnitude earthquake rattled western Afghanistan on Sunday, according to the US Geological Survey, marking the latest in a series of seismic events that have rocked this region throughout the month. The area has witnessed entire villages being leveled and over 1,000 lives lost due to these tremors.
The earthquake occurred at 0336 GMT, with its epicenter located 33 kilometers (20 miles) from Herat city, the capital of the western province bearing the same name, as reported by the USGS. Just 20 minutes later, a 5.5 magnitude aftershock shook the same region.
This recent earthquake comes on the heels of a prior magnitude 6.3 quake on October 7, which was accompanied by eight powerful aftershocks in the same vicinity of Herat. These earlier seismic events resulted in the collapse of numerous rural homes, leaving more than 1,000 people dead and hundreds injured.
In the aftermath of the earthquakes, residents have been left in a state of terror, with many lacking shelter. Volunteers have been tirelessly searching for survivors in the rubble. Another 6.3 magnitude earthquake days later killed one person and left 130 others injured. Shockingly, over 90 percent of the casualties in these quakes have been women and children, as highlighted by UNICEF.
Siddig Ibrahim, a field officer with UNICEF based in Herat, explained the higher risk faced by women and children due to their frequent presence at home, tending to household duties and child-rearing, which puts them in harm’s way when structures collapse.
The United Nations has reported that at least six villages in the rural Zenda Jan district have been entirely demolished, and over 12,000 people have been affected by these tremors.
A resident, Mohammad Naeem, who lost 12 relatives, including his mother, in the latest earthquakes, expressed the fear and trauma experienced by the community. He stated, “We can’t live here anymore. You can see, our family got martyred here. How could we live here?”
Afghanistan is prone to frequent earthquakes, particularly in the western and central regions, due to the tectonic activity of the Arabian and Eurasian plates colliding. Providing shelter on a large scale is a pressing challenge for the Taliban authorities, who assumed power in August 2021 and have strained relations with international aid organizations.
The public health minister, Qalandar Ebad, acknowledged the difficulties residents face, stating, “That area is very cold, staying there after the evening is very difficult.” He expressed concerns about their ability to survive in tents for an extended period. Most houses in rural Afghanistan are constructed with mud and minimal structural reinforcement, making them vulnerable to seismic activity. Furthermore, extended families typically reside together under one roof, making them more susceptible to the devastation caused by powerful earthquakes.
Afghanistan is already grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the withdrawal of foreign aid following the Taliban’s return to power. The earthquakes have further compounded the challenges faced by the country’s beleaguered population.