Earthquake in Afghanistan: Death toll rises to nearly 2,000

SGGPO 10/08/2023 15:01

The death toll from the earthquakes that shook western Afghanistan on October 7 has risen to nearly 2,000 and the number of injured is more than 9,200.

Victims in the open after the earthquake. Photo: EPA

On October 8, CNN quoted a spokesman for the Taliban government in Afghanistan, saying that the death toll from the earthquakes that shook the country's west on October 7 had risen to nearly 2,000, and the number of injured had risen to more than 9,200. This was the deadliest earthquake in Afghanistan in more than two decades.

Earlier, Herat province and other provinces in western Afghanistan were shaken by two earthquakes measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale. The earthquake occurred about 30 km northwest of Herat city, the capital of Herat province, followed by 8 strong aftershocks.

The epicenter of the earthquake. Photo: CNN

The World Health Organization (WHO) said more than 600 houses were completely or partially destroyed by the earthquake in at least 12 villages in Herat province, affecting more than 4,200 people.

Rescuers in Afghanistan have been working through the night to search for survivors in the rubble. Local authorities are working closely with aid agencies to provide humanitarian assistance to the families of the victims.

A pile of rubble after the earthquake. Photo: Xinhua

Afghanistan is prone to earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range (between the country and Pakistan), which lies near the meeting point of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. Last June, a 5.9-magnitude quake rocked Paktika province, killing more than 1,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dong-dat-tai-afghanistan-so-nguoi-chet-tang-len-gan-2000-post708952.html