The epicenter of the earthquake was near Herat, the center of northwestern Afghanistan.
The earthquake that occurred in the northwestern part of Afghanistan this morning could have caused great destruction.
According to the first estimates, Zinja Jan is the worst destroyed area. Nurullah, a resident of the village of Zinja Jan, interviewed by the news agency Reuters, says that he lost his entire family. 11 people were buried in the ruins.
In another village near the center of the earthquake, Naib Raf, the vast majority of the village’s residents died, according to unconfirmed information from the news agency AP. Only the men who were working outdoors at the time of the earthquake survived.
The magnitude of the earthquake was 6.3. Its center was only less than 30 kilometers from Herat, the capital of the province, where more than half a million people live.
The earthquake happened US Geological Survey quite close to the earth’s surface, at a depth of 9 kilometers.
The previous quake was last weekend
Information about the area is scarce so far. An earthquake of approximately the same magnitude also occurred in the same area over the weekend. It is known to have caused at least 2,000 deaths.
According to news agencies, the villages in the vicinity have been almost deserted due to the force of the earthquake. The search for the victims continues.
The conditions are difficult. There is a shortage of rescue equipment in remote villages in areas with very difficult access. The devastation of the earthquake makes life difficult ahead of winter in one of the poorest regions of Afghanistan.
Excavating the victims of the previous earthquake from the ruins is still in progress.
The story is updated.
Reuters, AFP, AP