The death toll from the devastating earthquakes that struck Afghanistanlate Saturday has surged to 2,053, with an additional 9,240 individualsreported injured, according to a government spokesperson.
The initially reported death toll of 120 is expected to increase as ongoingrescue operations continue to unfold in the affected regions.
Deputy government spokesperson Bilal Karimi expressed deep concern over the“practically very high” casualties resulting from the earthquakes. Theseismic events, initially recorded at a magnitude of 6.3, unleashed eightpowerful aftershocks, resulting in widespread destruction, particularly inthe area located 30 kilometers northwest of Herat.
Numerous reports indicate that 1,328 houses have been flattened, and thesefigures are expected to rise as assessments continue. In Herat province,more than 600 houses across at least 12 villages have been reporteddestroyed or partially damaged, affecting 4,200 people, according to theWorld Health Organization (WHO).
Sarboland village in the Zinda Jan district, near the quake’s epicenter,bore the brunt of the disaster, with dozens of homes reduced to rubble.Residents scrambled to search for survivors amid the debris, while manywaited in the open, their homes demolished by the tremors.
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One government official confirmed that 1,329 homes were destroyed acrossthe affected regions. The WHO emphasized that the number of casualties isexpected to rise further as search and rescue operations remain ongoing.
Herat city experienced a significant evacuation as residents fled theirhomes. Schools, hospitals, and offices were emptied as the tremors werefelt. Thankfully, there have been fewer reports of casualties in the city.
The earthquakes have struck Afghanistan at a challenging time, as thecountry grapples with a dire humanitarian crisis exacerbated by thewithdrawal of foreign aid following the return of the Taliban to power in2021.