KABUL: A third earthquake, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale, has struck eastern Afghanistan, less than a week after a powerful quake in the same region killed more than 2,200 people and injured thousands of others.
At least 3,640 people were injured in the first quake, of magnitude 6, which hit the densely populated rural areas of Kunar, Nangarhar and Laghman provinces on Sunday, and a subsequent magnitude 5.5 quake on Tuesday, according to official reports.
The real toll is feared to be higher, with rescue efforts ongoing in the steep terrain hindered by landslides and rockfalls damaging already poor roads.
The latest tremor, at a depth of 10 km, occurred late on Thursday and was followed by a series of aftershocks on Friday morning, one of which measured 5.4, according to the German Research Center for Geosciences.
“An aftershock occurs every 30 minutes. People are extremely frightened. Every time there’s an aftershock, we hear women and girls screaming. They fear the same devastation they witnessed during the first earthquake,” said Abdul Fatah Jawad, director of the Ehsas Welfare and Social Services Organization, who was with a team delivering aid to survivors in Kunar.
“The psychological shock and trauma are severe. The tremors are extremely strong.”
At least 37 people were hospitalized after Thursday’s quake, local media reported. As most families are still sheltering in open areas and tents, there were smaller casualties from the most recent quake, Jawad said.
“Needs are huge following the powerful earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan affecting over 1.3 million people,” Jagan Chapagain, secretary-general and CEO of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said in a statement.
“This earthquake could not have come at a worse time. The disaster not only brings immediate suffering but also deepens Afghanistan’s already fragile humanitarian crisis.”
The initial quake had destroyed entire villages in the Ketak Valley of Noorgal district, where most of the casualties have been reported, said Dr. Rahmatullah Zahid, who was flown into the region from Nangarhar to help survivors.
“People have lost their homes and all their belongings. They are in urgent need of shelter, as the current number of tents is insufficient. They also require clothing and essential household items for cooking, along with raw food supplies. These are immediate needs, and substantial long-term support will also be necessary,” he told Arab News.
“On average, five to six people from each family died in the Aug. 31 earthquake. We spoke with one survivor who lost all of his family members, and another who lost 14 relatives. There wasn’t a single family untouched by casualties. The scale of this tragedy is immense.”
