Afghanistan Earthquake: Thousands Dead and Injured Amidst Desperate Rescue Efforts
Western Afghanistan is reeling from a devastating earthquake that has left at least 2,000 dead, with survivors desperately searching through rubble for their loved ones. The magnitude 6.3 earthquake, which struck near the city of Herat, was followed by powerful aftershocks, causing widespread destruction.
Entire villages have been decimated, with over 1,300 homes destroyed. Many victims, both living and deceased, remain trapped under the debris. The situation is exacerbated by a lack of proper rescue equipment, leading to fears that the death toll could rise significantly.
Photographer Omid Haqjoo, who visited the affected areas, described scenes of shock and grief. Disturbing images have emerged, including a video of a baby girl being rescued from the debris, her fate and that of her mother uncertain.
The Taliban government has confirmed the death toll, making this one of the deadliest earthquakes in Afghanistan in the past twenty years. The country had previously experienced a significant quake in June 2022, which resulted in the deaths of at least 1,000 people.
The international response has been slow, with only a few countries, including China and Pakistan, publicly offering support. The International Rescue Committee has highlighted the lack of disaster management capacity, with Salma Ben Aissa, the committee’s country director for Afghanistan, noting that the number of casualties is increasing by the hour.
The medical infrastructure's inadequacy means many injured victims are not receiving the necessary treatment, further increasing the death toll. The lack of basic necessities like food, shelter, and clean water is exacerbating health risks.
People in Herat are now sleeping outdoors due to fears of further quakes, enduring cold temperatures that drop to 10 degrees Celsius at night.
In contrast to the swift international aid response to the earthquake in Syria and Turkey earlier this year, Afghanistan's plight seems to have been overshadowed by global events, including the Israel-Palestine conflict.
However, some aid is trickling in. The United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, and other organizations have dispatched teams and supplies to assist with the rescue and relief efforts. The World Food Program was already on the ground providing essential items.
Local celebrities, like Afghan cricket star Rashid Khan, are stepping up, with Khan pledging his Cricket World Cup fees to support the earthquake survivors.
The tragedy has been described by Save the Children as a "crisis on top of a crisis," emphasizing the pre-existing challenges faced by Afghan children even before this disaster.
As the international community grapples with the situation, the immediate focus remains on rescue efforts, with hopes that more aid and support will soon be on its way to the beleaguered nation.
