Casualties in Afghanistan earthquakes exceed 4,000: official

The earthquakes that hit western Afghanistan on October 7 have killed or injured more than 4,000 people, said officials on October 9.

About 2,000 houses have been completely destroyed in the two 6.2-magnitude earthquakes, said the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA).

“So far, the statistics we have received regarding casualties are unfortunately exceeding 4,000 people. According to our data, in about 20 villages, approximately 1,980 to 2,000 houses have completely collapsed,” Mullah Saiq, spokesman for ANDMA, said at a press conference in Kabul.

The earthquakes stuck Herat Province and neighboring areas on Saturday afternoon, with the first tremor occurring at around 11:10 local time (0640 GMT).

A total of more than 1,000 rescuers in 35 rescue teams from different institutions are carrying out relief efforts in the affected areas, said the spokesman.

Mohammad Hasan Akhund, Afghanistan’s acting prime minister, led a group of officials to visit the affected region in Herat Province on Monday.