Just days after a series of deadly earthquakes rocked Afghanistan, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake has struck western Afghanistan, further exacerbating the already dire situation. The powerful earthquake hit an area near Herat, the capital of Herat province, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, local time.
Limited information is currently available regarding the immediate impact of the latest quake. However, the office of Herat’s governor has reported “huge losses” in districts near areas that were already devastated by the previous quakes. At least 80 people have been injured, and a landslide has blocked the main Herat-Torghundi highway, according to Abdul Wahid Rayan, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Information.
Chahak village, which had remained untouched by the preceding tremors, has suffered significant destruction as all 700 homes were flattened by the latest earthquake, as reported by The Associated Press.
This recent earthquake adds to the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan, as the country continues to grapple with the aftermath of a 6.3 magnitude earthquake and subsequent aftershocks that struck the region just a few days ago. The Taliban officials have reported that at least 2,445 people lost their lives, and thousands more were injured in what has been described as the country’s worst earthquakes in years.
Since the weekend, rescue workers and volunteers have been tirelessly working to search for survivors and retrieve bodies from the ruins of the devastated villages. However, relief efforts have been severely impeded by the country’s poor infrastructure, which has been further strained by decades of war and a decline in foreign aid. Afghanistan’s impoverished state has resulted in significant challenges in providing timely assistance to those affected by the quakes.
