A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck western Afghanistan on Saturday, October 7th, 2023, about 25 miles west of Herat city in the western Herat province. The earthquake was the third largest in Afghanistan and has been the most destructive in the country’s recent history.
More than 2,000 people have died and over 1,240 people have been injured.
The Taliban has put the number killed at 2,053 people. The earthquake has also caused significant damage to infrastructure with over 1,320 houses completely or partially destroyed.
Another strong earthquake rocked western Afghanistan on Sunday, October 15th, injuring hundreds.This was the fourth magnitude 6.3 earthquake in the region over the past two weeks. The natural disaster comes just eight days after earthquakes which have been the most destructive in the country’s recent history.
The recent earthquakes have caused significant damage to Afghanistan’s infrastructure and have left many people homeless.
The country has suffered from a series of recent earthquakes amid an ongoing dire economic and hunger crises, killing and displacing tens of thousands combined.
Last week the World Bank warned two-thirds of Afghan families currently face “significant challenges in maintaining their livelihoods”.
