Kabul - Afghanistan experienced a powerful earthquake on Wednesday morning, coming just days after a previous quake in the same region claimed thousands of lives and devastated villages.
The most recent earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.3, struck approximately 28 kilometers outside the provincial capital, Herat, which is situated in the northwestern province of Herat, as reported by the US Geological Survey.
As of now, there is no available information regarding the number of casualties and the extent of damage resulting from Wednesday's earthquake.
Taliban officials reported that the Saturday earthquake, also measuring 6.3 in magnitude, claimed the lives of more than 2,000 individuals in the Herat region. Subsequently, they mentioned that thousands were both killed and injured, though they did not provide a detailed breakdown of the casualties.
Saturday's earthquake had its epicenter roughly 40 kilometers to the northwest of Herat city, generating several strong aftershocks, including one on Monday that prompted the city's residents to evacuate their homes once again.
According to the Taliban, the earthquake that occurred on Saturday resulted in the complete destruction of nearly 2,000 houses across 20 villages in the affected area, which possesses only one government-run hospital.
These successive earthquakes, coupled with the approach of winter, are anticipated to exacerbate the existing challenges in Afghanistan, further hindering the ability of people to meet their fundamental needs, including shelter, food, and medicine, as highlighted by aid organizations.
In response to the crisis, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) dispatched an aircraft carrying 33 tons of food supplies on Tuesday to assist those affected by the earthquake that struck on Saturday. The aid was delivered through various Emirati humanitarian organizations, including the Emirates Red Crescent, the Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, and the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Development and International Organizations Affairs, underscored the UAE's commitment to delivering urgent supplies to other countries during times of crisis, especially in the aftermath of natural disasters. He emphasized that such crises often lead to significant shortages of food and medical supplies, necessitating a swift response to support those affected, particularly women, children, and the elderly.