KABUL, OCTOBER 8 – The United Nations has announced the launch of an emergency device to help survivors of the catastrophic chain of earthquakes that shook Afghanistan’s Herat province this Saturday.
According to the latest assessment by the Afghan government authorities, the earthquakes have so far caused more than 2,500 deaths and around 2,000 injuries. This natural disaster is one of the deadliest to hit the country in the last two decades.
Images and videos of destroyed villages, houses reduced to rubble, makeshift hospitals and blankets spread over the dead were shared on social media following the devastating earthquake in western Afghanistan. Herat province was the epicenter of this strong 6.3 magnitude earthquake, which was followed by further strong aftershocks.
Other shocking images show the streets full of frightened residents fleeing the country amid the chaos and panic of the tragedy, according to Europa Press, Russia Today and other press sources. In the midst of their despair, many say they don’t even have help digging through the rubble of their homes to see if a family member is still alive.
The chain of at least four earthquakes with a preliminary magnitude between 5.5 and 6.3 was recorded in the province within a radius of about 50 kilometers and was particularly felt in the town of Zendejan.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), all of the earthquakes struck the region within just one hour. The two most notable earthquakes, both with a magnitude of 6.3, occurred about 33 kilometers northeast of this city.
The NGO Save the Children warns that thousands of boys and girls have been left homeless by this series of earthquakes, which affected more than 9,000 people, and announced a new deployment of emergency humanitarian aid to alleviate the disaster.
Save the Children is coordinating the response, which will include cash distributions for families, hygiene kits for babies and psychological support for children.