On Tuesday, a 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck the southeastern region of Afghanistan, just days after a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit the area causing over 1,400 deaths and leaving thousands injured. The latest round of tremors has raised concerns about further increases in casualties.
The earthquake on Tuesday had a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), equivalent to the depth of the 6.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred on Sunday, August 31. Sunday’s earthquake was one of the most severe in recent years in Afghanistan, leading to significant building collapses in remote villages.
Safiullah Noorzai, a staff member of the humanitarian technology platform Aseel, mentioned that Tuesday’s aftershock reignited panic among the local population. The earthquake caused rocks to slide down the mountains, further blocking roads and making digging through the rubble more perilous, hindering rescue efforts.
Noorzai’s organization has dispatched rescue teams to the mountainous region. He expressed concerns that more people may have been injured by the earthquake, potentially raising the death toll.
The treacherous terrain has severely impeded rescue operations in remote villages. A Reuters journalist who arrived in the area on Tuesday (before the latest wave of earthquakes) observed that all houses were damaged or destroyed, with locals still digging through the ruins to find survivors. Many are still trapped, with some houses that were partially damaged in the first earthquake now completely destroyed in the subsequent tremor.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban government, stated that at least 1,411 people have died, 3,124 have been injured, and over 5,400 houses have been destroyed.
The United Nations coordinator in Afghanistan indicated that the death toll is expected to rise further.
Save the Children has urged the international community to provide emergency funding swiftly. The organization highlighted that the earthquake has disrupted clean water sources, raised concerns about diseases, and restricted access to food.
Samira Sayed Rahman, the program and advocacy director for Save the Children, emphasized the urgency of the situation: “It’s a race against time to save lives – evacuating the injured from remote villages cut off by massive rock falls, providing them with clean water, food, and shelter.”
This recent series of earthquakes in Afghanistan has led to a growing humanitarian crisis, with the need for immediate assistance becoming ever more crucial. The resilience of the affected communities and the efforts of aid organizations in the face of such devastation are key factors in providing relief and support to those affected by these natural disasters.