Afghan earthquake survivors sleep amid rubble as death toll nears 3,000

Survivors of a series of powerful earthquakes that struck western Afghanistan on Saturday have spent a second night sleeping amid the rubble of demolished villages as they search for loved ones using shovels, amid a death toll senior Taliban officials have said is approaching 3,000.

In the regional capital of Herat city people slept in public parks and streets, fearing further tremors. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a 4.7-magnitude earthquake on Monday at 2.16pm local time (1046 BST) 19 miles (30km) south-east of the central Qarabagh village in the Gulran district of Herat, and another 4.9-magnitude quake struck the remote area just before noon.

“We have concerns that there may be additional casualties in that area as well,” a Taliban official said. “Our teams are currently en route to provide assistance to those affected regions.”

Saturday’s 6.3-magnitude quake – followed by eight strong aftershocks – jolted hard-to-reach areas near Herat, toppling rural homes and sending panicked city dwellers into the streets. Afghanistan is already in the grip of a dire humanitarian crisis, with the widespread withdrawal of foreign aid after the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

Rescuers had found a further 350 bodies late on Sunday after officials earlier put the death toll at 2,445 and health workers said they were overwhelmed. “Vans filled with dead bodies are arriving here each minute,” said a medic at Herat hospital. “We are struggling with the very high number of injured people. I have not counted dead bodies. Our morgue is out of capacity.”

The Taliban official said some villages were being reached on Monday for the first time since the quake.

“The rescue operation is still in progress. Forces from the defence ministry arrived in the area this morning and local residents are actively assisting with the operation. There are many people under the rubble and areas we have not reached yet,” he said. “At least 20 villages are completely flattened with people still under the rubble.”

The International Rescue Committee warned the lack of rescue equipment could push up the death toll in western Afghanistan because trapped survivors cannot be freed.

The United Nations migration agency dispatched four ambulances along with doctors and psychosocial support counsellors to the regional hospital. A minimum of three mobile health teams were en route to the Zenda Jan district, one of the hardest-hit areas.

The NGO Médecins Sans Frontières set up five medical tents at Herat regional hospital with capacity for up to 80 patients.

Mohammad Javad, from Koshkak village, described the severe impact on the Zenda Jan district.

“The walls crumbled in a mere two seconds, and the entire village was brought to ruins in the same amount of time,” he said from a school accommodating survivors in Herat. “I lost a family member and my neighbours have lost at least four of their loved ones. Out of the over 1,000 people of the village, it’s probable that only a quarter of them have managed to survive. It’s like a massive grave.”

Another survivor told the Guardian over the phone: “We haven’t received any assistance since the earthquake struck. There is nothing left here, with every house in the villages having sustained damage. My husband and I were outside when it happened, and we survived. Many people have lost their lives here.”

In June 2022, a powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region in eastern Afghanistan, flattening stone and mud-brick homes.

“People are in devastating conditions in remote places, they need food, clothes and shelter. They were already very poor people and have nothing left now,” the Taliban official said.

Herat province, home to more than 3 million people on the border with Iran, has been hit by a years-long drought that has crippled many agricultural communities.

The affected area also contains many refugees who have recently returned from Iran and Pakistan, according to the Taliban official.

Aid agencies and NGOs have appealed for help from the international community. Aid from Iran and Pakistan has so far arrived in the area, according to the Taliban.

“With winter approaching, the affected areas will soon experience extremely cold conditions. Many families not only have lost their homes but also their main breadwinners. They are in urgent need of immediate aid and suitable shelters,” said the governor of Herat, Noor Ahmad Islamjar, on Sunday.