A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has slammed western Afghanistan, striking near the city of Herat in the early hours of Wednesday. This latest tremor has piled misery onto a region already devastated by a deadly quake just days earlier.
New Quake Wreaks Havoc Near Herat
Details remain sparse, but officials in Herat province report “huge losses” in districts still reeling from previous tremors. At least 80 people have been injured. A massive landslide has blocked the vital Herat-Torghundi highway, cutting off key access.
Chahak village, untouched until now, has been virtually wiped out — all 700 homes were flattened, according to The Associated Press.
Death Toll Rises Amid Relief Crisis
The disaster adds to an already grim toll. Taliban officials say the earlier 6.3 quake and aftershocks have killed at least 2,445 people, leaving thousands more injured. Rescue teams and volunteers have been working around the clock to find survivors and recover bodies.
Relief Efforts Hit By Dire Infrastructure
But aid efforts face major hurdles. Decades of war and slashed foreign aid have left Afghanistan’s infrastructure in tatters. Roads are treacherous or blocked, slowing vital help from reaching desperate families. The country’s grinding poverty only worsens the challenge of delivering fast, effective relief to quake victims.
Afghanistan is facing one of its worst humanitarian crises in years as it battles earthquake aftermath amid crippling conditions.
