On October 8 (Sunday), the Taliban spokesman announced that many earthquakes occurred in Afghanistan, a country prone to earthquakes, and more than 2,000 people died.
The resulting earthquake was the deadliest in recent years, injuring more than 9,000 people.
Disaster agency spokesman Mullah Janan Sayeeq said in an interview with Reuters that 2,053 people died, 9,240 people were injured, and 1,329 houses were destroyed in the earthquake.
Ministry of Information and Culture spokesman Abdul Wahid Rayan said that the death toll has increased in Herat. He added that approximately 6 villages were destroyed, and hundreds of citizens feared being trapped under the rubble.
Videos posted on social media show hundreds of people gathering on the streets in front of homes and businesses in Herat.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quakes hit 35 km (20 miles) northwest of the city of Herat, and out of them, the magnitude of one earthquake was registered around 6.3, shocked Afghanistan’s Herat on 7th October (Saturday).
According to its website, seven earthquakes have been recorded so far. Additionally, the USGS also detected two significant 6.3 magnitude earthquakes, with one 33 kilometers (20.5 miles) north-northeast of Zindah Jan and another 29 kilometers (18 miles) north-northeast of Zindah Jan, approximately 43 kilometers (26 miles) west of Herat city.
The seismic activity has raised concerns among local residents and prompted further monitoring by geological experts.
A Herat health department official, who identified himself as Dr Danish, told Reuters that more than 200 dead had been brought to different hospitals, most of whom were women and children.
He stated that bodies had been taken to military bases and hospitals. Afghanistan is prone to frequent earthquakes, particularly within the Hindu Kush mountain range.
These seismic events result from the convergence of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates in this area.
In June 2022, a strong earthquake rocked the mountainous eastern region of Afghanistan, resulting in the loss of over 1,000 lives and causing injuries to approximately 1,500 people.
