At Least 15 Dead and 40 Injured After Two Powerful Earthquakes Strike Western Afghanistan

Two powerful earthquakes struck western Afghanistan on Saturday, October 7, leaving at least 15 dead and 40 injured, according to the country’s national disaster authority. The United Nations has given a preliminary figure of 320 dead, though the figure is still being verified.

The earthquakes, which had a magnitude of 6.3, hit the city of Herat, located 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) northwest of the city. The USGS reported the tremblors. The four aftershocks that followed were also powerful, with epicenters close to the region’s largest city.

Mohammad Abdullah Jan, a spokesperson for the national disaster authority, said four villages in the Zenda Jan district in Herat province were the most affected by the quakes and aftershocks. Local authorities estimated that 100 people were killed and 500 injured.

The earthquakes come two years after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the country is still facing a backlog in its special visa program. The program was designed to help Afghans who worked with the US military and government, but it has been slow to process applications due to a lack of resources.

The Afghan government is now working to provide assistance to those affected by the earthquakes. The United Nations is also providing aid and support to the region.