Earthquake M 6.3 Guncang Afghanistan, Thousand People Reported Dead And Injured

Earthquake Illustration (ANTARA)

The 6.3 magnitude earthquake (M) hit western Afghanistan on Saturday 7 October, and 1,000 people were reported killed and injured. Rescuers dug up the rubble to search for victims with makeshift equipment.

At least a thousand people were killed and injured in a series of earthquakes that hit northwestern Afghanistan on Saturday, according to officials.

Afghanistan Disaster Management Authority spokesman Mullah Janan Saiq said the death toll could increase, adding that vibrations caused heavy damage in northwestern provinces of Herat and Badghis.

"Three villages in Herat province were completely damaged, hundreds of residents were still trapped under the rubble," said Saiq to Anadolu, quoted by ANTARA, Sunday, October 8.

He added that it was difficult to know the exact death toll, but so far local officials have reported 1,000 people have died.

According to the Geological Survey (USGS), strong earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.5-5.9- and 6.2 have rocked Afghan provinces. It said the epicenter was 40 kilometers northwest of the city of Herat.

Afghanistan's World Health Organization said its team was in hospitals providing treatment assistance for those injured and examining additional needs.

When evening arrived in Sarboland Village in Zinda Jan District, in the rural area of Herat Province, AFP reporters saw dozens of houses leveled to the ground near the Afghanistan epicenter.

A group of men with shovels dug a pile of shattered stones while women and children waited in the open, with houses destroyed. There was a loud sound and there was no time to react. At the first shock, all houses collapsed," said Bashir Ahmad, 42 years old.

He continued, 'Those in the house are buried, There are families that we have not heard from.'

Mohammad's grandmother told AFP that she was working when the first earthquake occurred at around 11.00 local time.

"We went home and saw that there was actually nothing left. Everything has turned into sand," said the 32-year-old man.

He added that about 30 bodies had been found nearby. "So far, we have had nothing. There are no blankets or anything," he said.

Herat Province's head of disaster management, Mosa Ashari, said that apart from the 120 deaths, more than 1,000 women, children and elderly residents were injured.

Meanwhile, a crowd of residents left buildings in the city of Herat when a series of earthquakes began to occur, although reports of casualties from the city area were very few.

"We were in the office and suddenly the building started beating us up," said Bashir Ahmad, a 45-year-old resident.

The plaster of the wall began to fall out and the walls cracked, part of the walls and part of the building collapsed.

"I can't contact my family, the network connection is cut off. I'm too worried and scared. It's terrible," he said.