Afghans Flee Herat As Fresh Earthquake Of 6.3 Magnitude Claims 2 Lives In Western Afghanistan

Since October 7, Herat province has been rocked by a succession of potent earthquakes, resulting in the devastation of entire villages

A child is seen on rubbles after 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan's western province of Herat on October 15, 2023. A strong earthquake has struck Herat in western Afghanistan, just days after two powerful tremors caused massive damage in the same region.

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A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck western Afghanistan on Sunday, resulting in the loss of two lives, while damaged prisons were evacuated, and residents continued to flee from the region where a series of powerful tremors have claimed a staggering 1,000 lives over the past week, news agency AFP reported. Since October 7, Herat province has been rocked by a succession of potent earthquakes, resulting in the devastation of entire villages, tragic burials of families, and the displacement of thousands, just as winter is about to set in.

In the rural Injil district, near the epicentre of Sunday's quake, a 64-year-old man named Rustam narrowly escaped when the tremors destroyed the remnants of his home, burying the belongings he was trying to salvage around 8:00 am (0330 GMT), AFP mentioned in its report.

"We heard a very terrible and scary sound," he recounted, as quoted by the report. "When we entered the house, like the power of God, it sounded like a bomb blast, and collapsed."

His neighbour in Ghar Mushak village, 57-year-old Khudadad, shared a similar ordeal as a home he had hoped to repair was reduced to rubble.

"We people are hopeless," he lamented. "We have nowhere to stay; it's like we are in a ruined desert."

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported two new fatalities and 154 injuries at Herat Regional Hospital, where patients were being transported on stretchers and treated outdoors under gazebos. 

"The situation is very critical," MSF's Afghanistan Programme Head Yahya Kalilah revealed to AFP. "In terms of psychology, people are panicked and traumatised."

"People are not feeling safe. I will assure you 100 percent, no one will sleep in their house."

The latest earthquake had its epicentre 33 kilometres (20 miles) northwest of the provincial capital, Herat city, and was followed by aftershocks of magnitudes 5.4, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4, as reported by the US Geological Survey.

Prisoners In Herat Released Due To Quake Damage

Officials disclosed that more than 528 prisoners had been released from Herat province and neighbouring Badghis province due to the imminent collapse of jails from earthquake damage. 

These releases included inmates who had served significant portions of their sentences and demonstrated signs of reform, as confirmed by the Prisons Administration Authority.

With the ongoing threat of aftershocks, many residents of Herat city have left their homes, fearing for their safety.

Haris Aryan, a resident of the city, sent his family south to Farah province to shield them from the ongoing trauma of the quakes, as per the report.

"Many people, anyone with relatives or accommodation in neighbouring provinces, all of them have fled," he noted, as quoted by AFP. "Those who do not have anywhere to go... they are spending nights in the roads and parks."

Aftershocks & Seismologist's Warning

While MSF's Yahya Kalilah predicted that "casualties will be low" on Sunday since the worst-hit areas had already been evacuated after last week's devastating quakes, Oxford University seismologist Zakeria Shnizai cautioned of the possibility of further tremors in the days to come.

"Aftershocks occur due to the readjustment of rocks and faults that slipped during the main earthquake," he explained, as quoted by AFP. "The process of readjustment can take a while, ranging from days to weeks or even months."

This series of earthquakes commenced on October 7 with a 6.3 magnitude tremor and eight powerful aftershocks, causing extensive destruction in rural villages northwest of Herat city. The Taliban government reported more than 1,000 fatalities, while the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated the toll to be nearly 1,400 as of late Saturday.

Another earthquake of equivalent intensity claimed one life and left 130 injured just days after the initial quakes, as volunteers desperately searched for survivors in the debris of their homes.