On Saturday, October 7, a strong earthquake occurred in the northwestern part of Afghanistan. According to local media, hundreds of people died as a result of the earthquake, and a large number of houses were destroyed in Herat province. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Zindajan […]
On Saturday, October 7, a strong earthquake occurred in the northwestern part of Afghanistan.
According to local media, hundreds of people died as a result of the earthquake, and a large number of houses were destroyed in Herat province.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Zindajan area of Ghor province, with a magnitude of 6.3 on the Richter scale.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the Taliban, wrote on social media platform X on Sunday that the death toll from the earthquake had reached 2,053, with 2,240 people injured.
However, Reuters, citing a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, reported that the number of victims exceeded 9,000. Some media outlets accused the Afghan authorities of failing to provide accurate statistical data on the casualties.
At the same time, the Afghan Red Crescent reported in its report that the villages of “Siyahab, Sinju, and Kushak” in the Zindajan area of Herat province were “completely” destroyed.
Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported on Saturday that in just eight villages in the Zindajan area, 465 houses were completely destroyed, and another 135 houses sustained partial damage.
The report also noted that more than 6,000 people were injured and left homeless as a result of this devastating earthquake. It was also mentioned that 300 families completely abandoned their homes and were settled in abandoned buildings in the city of Herat.
The governor of Herat, Noor Ahmad Islamjar, told the press on Sunday that “as a result of this earthquake, a large number of our compatriots died in the Zindajan area, and many were injured. We urgently need to provide assistance to the victims, ensuring they have food and medical supplies.”
The Taliban official did not provide exact figures on the casualties from the earthquake but called for immediate assistance to the earthquake victims.