Earthquake in Afghanistan

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Afghanistan on 7 October forty kilometres west of Herat city, in the western Herat province - the third largest region in the country.

At least 2,400 casualties were reported with many more injured. Thousands of buildings were destroyed and heaps of rubble and debris can be found in place of where villages used to be. International aid groups are doing all they can to provide survivors with medical care, food, water and shelter.

The country was later hit with two more earthquakes, north of Herat, on 11 and 16 October, both of which also had a magnitude of 6.3. More than 100 people were injured and more buildings destroyed.

The closest hospital in the area is running at full capacity therefore some patients are having to be moved to other private healthcare facilities within the city. Unicef has reported that 90% of fatalities from the earthquakes were women and children. Afghanisation, one of Asia's poorest countries, is a war-ravaged nation already striken by an economic crisis thus these earthquakes have been devastating. The true extent of damage is still not fully known.

Related News and Resources

• UNOSAT 'Western Afghanistan Earthquake' Webmap