Western Afghanistan was rocked by dual 6.3-magnitude earthquakes on Saturday, as confirmed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The primary tremor’s epicenter was situated roughly 25 miles to the northwest of the city of Herat and was later trailed by a 5.5-magnitude aftershock.
USGS data reveals that a series of seven tremors jolted the region in total. Preliminary reports emerging from the Zinda Jan district in Herat province, as stated by Mullah Jan Sayeq from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Disaster Management, account for a minimum of 15 fatalities and approximately 40 injuries. The tremors also resonated through the provinces of Farah and Badghis. Initial reports from these provinces tell tales of substantial damage to residential properties, though casualty specifics are still forthcoming.
Footage on social media portrays the extent of panic, capturing hundreds of Herat residents evacuating their premises, gathering on streets in trepidation of subsequent tremors. One resident, Abdul Shakor Samadi, recounted his personal experience, noting how the quake led his entire family outdoors and shared the prevailing sentiment of reluctance to re-enter their homes due to fear of more seismic activity.
This catastrophe serves as a somber reminder of the severity of Afghanistan’s seismic activity; a quake in June the previous year took the lives of over 1,000 individuals and injured around 1,500.
