Afghanistan earthquake death toll rises to 2,000: Taliban officials.

 by web desk

date October 08, 2023

Afghanistan earthquake death toll rises to 2,000: Taliban officials

Taliban officials are calling for urgent help as rescuers try to rescue people trapped in the rubble of a 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Herat province.

Afghanistan earthquake death toll rises to 2,000: Taliban officials.

Afghan earthquake

Afghanistan Disaster Management Authority spokesman Mohammad Abdullah Jan said the earthquake and aftershocks damaged houses in four villages in Herat province's Zendeh Jan district.

October 8, 2023

The death toll from a powerful earthquake in western Afghanistan is estimated at 2,000, a senior Taliban leader said, adding that the toll could rise further in one of the deadliest earthquakes to hit the country in two decades.

Suhail Shaheen, a Qatar-based Taliban spokesman, told Al Jazeera that many people were missing and rescue operations were underway to rescue people trapped in the rubble of the 6.3-magnitude earthquake in Herat province.

Shaheen said there was an urgent need for tents, medical and food items in the disaster-hit areas and appealed to local businessmen and NGOs to come to the aid of the needy.

Earlier, Abdul Wahid Rayan, a spokesman for the Ministry of Information and Culture, told the AP that more than 2,000 people had died in the earthquake and strong tremors. About six villages were destroyed and hundreds of civilians were buried under the rubble, he said, appealing for urgent help.

The country's National Disaster Management Authority said on Saturday that the quake had killed about 100 people.

Later on Saturday, the United Nations put the preliminary death toll at 320. But he later said the figure was still being verified, while the Red Crescent said 500 people had been killed

The 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck 40 km northwest of the city of Herat at around 11:30 GMT on Saturday, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Strong aftershocks were felt in neighboring Badghis and Farah provinces.

In the city of Herat, resident Abdul Shakor Samadi said the earthquake was followed by at least five strong aftershocks around noon.

"All the people are out of their homes," Samadi said. “Houses, offices and shops are empty and there are fears of more earthquakes. My family and I were in our house. I felt an earthquake."

The USGS said the quake was followed by three strong aftershocks — magnitudes 6.3, 5.9 and 5.5 — as well as weaker aftershocks.

Afghanistan Disaster Management Authority spokesman Mohammad Abdullah Jan said the earthquake and aftershocks damaged houses in four villages in Zendeh Jan district of Herat province. There were also reports of extensive damage to houses in Farah and Badghis provinces.