Western media largely ignored the second story, an estimated magnitude 6 (6.1) temblor that caused destruction across eastern Afghanistan’s two westernmost and most rugged provinces of Paktika and Khost. The quake struck at 10 kilometers (six miles) depth close to the border with Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The aftermath of those tremors has left unaccountable destruction, with many local officials reporting thousands dead.
Provincial information head of Kunar, Najibullah Hanif, cited even more shocking figures in the wake of the quake. Over 250 people are known to have died, and nearly 500 more have been seriously injured. He verified that of those 30 deaths, 30 of them were killed in one village, which really emphasizes how devastating it is on these local communities. Hospitals have been overwhelmed with hundreds of injured people needing medical attention.
Afghanistan’s natural history has been shaped by the region’s extreme seismic activity. That’s especially the case in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. This western region is one of the most seismically active and, as a result, deadliest areas in our country. The powerful recent quake, and its aftershocks, have already raised fears of a catastrophic death toll. It’s estimated that upwards of 500 people have perished and more than 1,000 are likely injured.
National Public Radio has reported that three villages in Kunar were wiped off the map, with several others reported as incurring heavy damages. In fact, the health ministry has already confirmed over 400 injuries and dozens of fatalities associated with only a handful of clinics. This really puts into perspective the magnitude of this disaster. Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s health ministry, warned that those numbers could increase as search and rescue operations were ongoing.
“Figures from just a few clinics show over 400 injured and dozens of fatalities.” – Sharafat Zaman
The new foreign office spokesperson recognized how serious the situation is. Foreign governments so far have not been able to provide significant support to rescue or relief efforts. What’s most concerning is the total absence of international support. This leads us to wonder if Afghanistan’s scarce resources are adequate to meet the disaster’s needs.
In recent history, Afghanistan has faced similar tragedies. A series of earthquakes in the west last year killed more than 1,000 people. The ongoing challenges faced by this impoverished nation make it particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, compounding the humanitarian crisis that already exists.