In the midst of a dire humanitarian crisis, Afghanistan is experiencing the aftermath of three separate 6.3 magnitude earthquakes throughout the country in a week’s time. Two earthquakes occurred only thirty minutes apart from each other, both 6.3 magnitude. The earthquakes hit the Herat Province, which stretches alongside the Afghan-Iranian border. Infrastructural destructions caused by this devastating disaster has displaced thousands of people, either after the initial shakes or the approximated seven tremors that followed.
In the last few years, Afghanistan has experienced massive floods, mudslides, and earthquakes, alongside Taliban’s rise to power within the country. With the country scrambling to combat funding shortages, hospitals, clinics, and aid centers are facing closure. In addition, the country is bracing itself for cold weather conditions and scrambling to rebuild villages, as many homes were diminished to rubbles.
Due to recent events, Afghanistan has been declared “the world’s largest humanitarian crisis” by the United Nations. “The situation is very bad… you could not tell the difference between a house and an alley” said Qudos Khatibi, a resident of Herat City.
By Maya Yorks