Devastation in […]: Over 2,400 Dead and 2,000 Injured in Series of Earthquakes

Residents of the city of […] were left devastated on Sunday after a series of earthquakes rocked the region, leaving more than 2,400 dead and over 2,000 injured. The Taliban administration reported that the quakes were the deadliest to hit the quake-prone mountainous country in years.

The United Nations humanitarian coordinator said a $5 million emergency reserve allocation from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) had been approved to help with the relief efforts. The quakes, which hit 20 miles northwest of the city of Herat, had a magnitude of 6.3 according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The death toll has continued to rise as rescue efforts are still ongoing, with harrowing images of the aftermath including a video of a small child being pulled from beneath the rubble, clinging to a woman’s hand. The quakes are among the world’s deadliest this year, after tremors in Turkey and Syria killed an estimated 50,000 in February.

The Taliban administration has warned that many are still unaccounted for in the remote quake region, and the death toll is expected to rise further. The AHF has urged for donations to help with the relief efforts, and has promised to use the funds to provide food, shelter, medical assistance, and other essential services to those affected.