A 6.3-magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan killed 15 people

At least 15 people were killed and dozens were injured as a result A 6.3-magnitude earthquake shook western Afghanistan this morningAccording to a new report from the authorities, the matter may worsen due to the occurrence of landslides and there are victims under the rubble.

“These numbers are the numbers of victims who have been transferred so far to the central hospital, but they are not a final tally.”The Director of Public Health in Herat Province, Muhammad Talib Shaheed, announced.

“According to our information, there are people buried under the rubble.”The official added to the French news agency.

The epicenter of the quake was 40 kilometers northwest of the region’s largest city, Herat, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), and was followed by seven aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 4.6 to 6.3.

According to Agence France-Presse, residents and merchants fled the city buildings around 11:30 a.m. (9:30 a.m. in Argentina) when the tremors began, causing 25 people to be injured and one person to die, according to a Taliban government spokesman.

The US Geological Survey indicated in a preliminary report that there may have been hundreds of deaths.

“There will likely be a large number of casualties, and the disaster will likely be widespread.”The institute noted.

Also, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Authority, Mullah Jan Al-Sayeq, told AFP that the initial assessment is “preliminary,” fearing that it will increase due to “landslides also occurring in rural and mountainous areas.”

A preliminary report from the US Geological Survey indicated there may have been hundreds of deaths.

Herat is located 120 kilometers east of the border with Iran, and is the capital of the province of the same name, where about 1.9 million people live according to World Bank data for 2019.