2023 Herat earthquakes

2023 Herat earthquakes

Aftermath of the earthquake
UTC time	2023-10-07 07:41:03
	2023-10-07 08:12:50
	2023-10-11 00:41:56
	2023-10-15 03:36:00
ISC event	635743371
	635743376
	635746074
USGS-ANSS	ComCat
	ComCat
	ComCat
	ComCat
Local date	7 October 2023
	7 October 2023
	11 October 2023
	15 October 2023
Local time	11:11 AFT (UTC+4:30)
	11:42 AFT (UTC+4:30)
	05:11 AFT (UTC+4:30)
	08:06 AFT (UTC+4:30)
Magnitude	6.3 Mw
	6.3 Mw
	6.3 Mw
	6.3 Mw
Depth	14 km (8.7 mi)
	10.6 km (6.6 mi)
	9.0 km (5.6 mi)
	8.2 km (5.1 mi)
Epicenter	34.610°N 61.924°E / 34.610; 61.924
Type	Thrust
Areas affected	Afghanistan Iran
Max. intensity	VIII (Severe)
Casualties	2,000[1]–2,400 dead[2] 1,688 injured 485 missing

On 7 October 2023, four earthquakes hit Herat Province, Afghanistan, all with a magnitude of 6.3.^[3][4] The earthquakes caused at least 2,000 deaths and injured 1,688 people.^[1]

Earthquakes

The first earthquake hit at 06:41 UTC, with a magnitude of 6.3.^[3] A magnitude 5.5 aftershock hit eight minutes later.^[5] A another earthquake hit at 07:12 UTC, with a magnitude of 6.3,^[4] then a another magnitude 5.9 aftershock.^[6] A third earthquake with a magnitude 6.3 hit on 11 October.^[7] Then 4 days later, a fourth earthquake with a magnitude 6.3 hit on 15 October.^[8] Both events had a Mercalli intensity was VIII (Severe).^{[3][4][6][7][8]}

The United States Geological Survey explained that these earthquakes happened because of a shallow thrust fault. The fault moved east to west with a dip either north or south.^[3]

Aftermath

In the villages that were hit, mass funerals were held,^[9] with around 300 people buried in Siah Ab.^[10] Over 35 rescue teams, including military and nonprofit organizations, were sent to help.^[11]

Abdul Ghani Baradar, Afghanistan's Deputy Prime Minister of Economic Affairs, visited the area and promised that the Taliban would build new homes for the survivors.^[12] As winter was approaching, thousands of people were left without homes in the cold. Doctors Without Borders reported that over 340 people were discharged from the hospital but had nowhere to go.^[13]

References

1. "More than 2,000 people killed as earthquake strikes western Afghanistan". CNN. 8 October 2023.
2. "Afghanistan earthquake has killed more than 2,400, Taliban says". The Guardian.
3. National Earthquake Information Center (7 October 2023). "M 6.3 - 35 km NNE of Zindah Jān, Afghanistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
4. National Earthquake Information Center (7 October 2023). "M 6.3 - 26 km NNE of Zindah Jān, Afghanistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
5. National Earthquake Information Center (7 October 2023). "M 5.5 - 29 km NE of Zindah Jān, Afghanistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
6. National Earthquake Information Center (7 October 2023). "M 5.9 - 35 km NNW of Herāt, Afghanistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
7. National Earthquake Information Center (11 October 2023). "M 6.3 - western Afghanistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
8. National Earthquake Information Center (15 October 2023). "M 6.3 - 30 km NNW of Herāt, Afghanistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
9. "Rescue efforts wind down in quake-hit Afghanistan as villages bury dead". The Straits Times. Reuters. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
10. "Mass funeral held for Afghan quake victims, families still missing". Khaleej Times. Agence France-Presse. 9 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
11. "Afghans grieve as scramble for earthquake survivors continues". Al Jazeera. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
12. "Taliban promises to build new homes for Afghan earthquake victims". Peoples Gazette. News Agency of Nigeria. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
13. "Thousands of Afghans out in cold as magnitude 6.3 quake hits west". Manila Standard. Agence France-Presse. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.