Afghanistan earthquake death toll crosses 2000, claims Taliban; Desperate people using hands to dig out loved ones from rubble

The death toll in the Herat earthquake has crossed 2000, claimed Taliban on Sunday. The 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck on Saturday, about 40 kilometers west of Herat city, one of the deadliest to have struck Afghanistan in two decades. “Besides the 2,060 dead, 1,240 people are injured and 1,320 houses are completely destroyed,” said Abdul Wahid Rayan, Taliban spokesperson at the Ministry of Information and Culture.


Zenda Jan and Ghorian districts in the west of Herat have been worst affected. Several are still feared trapped as rescue operations in the region had been deeply impeded by rains. “My child is under the debris”, an inconsolable father was seen desperate to rescue his entire family that had gone under the rubble. The video of the man trying to use his hands to dig out his family member has gone viral on social media. Similar videos indicate the level of devastation the tragedy has brought along. Thousands of people are now been shifted to Herat city.

The extent of the destruction is still being assessed, but early reports indicate that many homes and businesses have been reduced to rubble, leaving countless people homeless. “We fear the death toll may increase as rescue operation continue. Several rescue teams have been on the field, it’s a massive humanitarian crisis”, said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mojahid 


A Call for Solidarity

In the face of this tragedy, the people of Herat and the surrounding areas are showing are calling for solidarity. Appeals are pouring in on social media for communities to come together in support of Afghanistan.
The international community is urged to contribute to relief efforts and provide much-needed resources to help the region recover from this devastation.

Afghanistan falls on the seismic line and has borne the brunt of earthquakes in the past. A deadly quake in March struck northeastern Afghanistan, triggered devastating landslides. The power of the earthquake was such that had brought entire buildings down. Tremors were also felt in several major Pakistani cities and as far away as the Indian capital New Delhi.

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake last June in the eastern Paktika and Khost provinces bordering Pakistan, killed more than a thousand people

And a 5.6 magnitude earthquake on January 17, 2022 struck Badghis, another western province near Herat bordering Turkmenistan, killed more than 20 people.

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in Asia and been ravaged by conflicts and natural disasters like earthquakes. But with the departure of US and Taliban taking over the land, once again, Afghanistan’s economy has been crippled impairing its ability to respond to natural disasters. The rehabilitation process could thus take long as challenges stare at the people of the country and mostly the poor victims of the quake.