• Source:ANI
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Afghanistan Earthquake: Over 4,000 people have been killed and thousands of residential houses destroyed after a series of powerful earthquakes hit western Afghanistan Herat, Khaama Press reported citing the Taliban ministry. An earthquake of magnitude 6.3 hit Herat on Saturday.

Over 1,900 residential houses have been destroyed in 20 villages in Herat, the Ministry of Disaster Management of Afghanistan announced on Saturday.

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According to Herat city resident Abdul Shakor Samadi, quoted by the news agency Associated Press (AP), the city was hit by at least five strong earthquakes on Saturday noon. The epicentre was located 40 kilometres (25 miles) to the northwest of Herat, the United States Geological Survey said.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.3 hit Herat on Saturday. (Image credit: Reuters)

The European Union and the World Health Organization have pledged cash, food, and medical aid to the Herat earthquake victims. A representative of the Natural Disaster Management Authority was quoted by Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the Taliban, that 1,320 homes were entirely destroyed, and the number of people in need of rescue is continually growing in the impacted districts.

The province's Zinda Jan and Ghorian districts saw the majority of the fatalities. Moreover, the Disaster Management Authority head of the region, Maulvi Musa Ashari, told Pajhwok Afghan News the earthquake had razed 12 villages and wounded 600 people in the two districts.

Whereas, the World Health Organisation (WHO), in a post on X, noted that it had sent drugs and supplies to Herat hospitals to help treat the injured. It offered to provide any additional help that was required, according to Pajhwok News.

According to the USGS, six earthquakes occurred in western Afghanistan the largest one was at a magnitude of 6.3. Based on the information from (USGS), the latest earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 occurred at a depth of 7.7 km in the "Zinda Jan district of Herat."

The quake also was felt in the nearby provinces of Farah and Badghis, according to local media reports.

(With Inputs From ANI)