Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan has been struck by a magnitude 6 earthquake.
More than 800 people have died as a result of the disaster on Sunday night, according to the government. Rescue efforts have been hampered by debris and flooding.
What happened and why Afghanistan is prone to earthquakes are explained more here:
What transpired?
The earthquake shook eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Kunar provinces on Sunday at 11:47 PM (19:47 GMT). It trembled softly because it was 8 kilometers (5 miles) deep.
Because the earthquake’s epicenter and seismic waves are closer to Earth’s surface, smaller earthquakes typically cause more damage. Because they must travel farther to the surface, seismic waves from deep earthquakes lose energy.
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck Nangarhar province just 20 minutes after the first earthquake, striking north of Basawul. Numerous tremors have fallen since then, ranging in size from 4.3 to 5.2, near the provincial capitals of Jalalabad and Basawul.
Where did the earthquake strike Afghanistan?
The initial earthquake was located 27 kilometers (17 miles) east of Jalalabad, near Kunar province, which is located just north of Nangarhar, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
East of Kabul, Jalalabad is 150 kilometers (93 miles). Because it is close to Pakistan, it is a significant trading hub. The municipality estimates that the city has about 300,000 residents.
The majority of the city’s buildings are low-rise, mostly made of concrete and brick, while the suburbs have mud brick and wood-built homes.
Jalalabad also produces agricultural products. Citrus trees and rice are grown there because the Kabul River passes through the city.
How many people have been injured and died?
According to Afghan government spokesman Mawlawi Zabihullah Mujahid, the death toll is currently 812 and more than 3, 000 people have been injured.
As rescue efforts continue in the mountainous area, Zabihullah predicted that the casualties would increase.
What does an earthquake of magnitude 6 mean?
The Richter scale, which ranges from 1 to 10, is used to determine the intensity of earthquakes.
A magnitude 6 earthquake is regarded as powerful. Houses may suffer damage and objects may fall.
What do rescue efforts resemble?
According to Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, rescue operations are underway and several villages have been destroyed.
According to an Afghan television network’s TOLOnews on Monday, “335 injured individuals were transported by helicopter to Nangarhar Regional Hospital.”
According to the state-run Bakhtar news agency, Kunar has received 30 doctors and 800 kg (1, 764lb) of medicine to assist hospitals that are overflowing with patients.
In a post on X  on Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his “full solidarity with the Afghan people.”
Guterres continued, “The @UN team in Afghanistan is mobilized and will make no mistake about helping those in the affected areas.”
After the devastating earthquake that hit Afghanistan earlier today, I stand in full solidarity with its citizens.
I extend my heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and wish them a quick recovery.
The @UN team has mobilized in Afghanistan…
Iran has also provided aid in the world.
The Islamic Republic of Iran announces its full readiness to send relief, medical, and humanitarian aid in these challenging circumstances and great tragedy, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who spoke to the country’s Tasnim news agency.
What is preventing rescue efforts?
On Saturday, flash floods flooded Nangarhar province, destroying farms and roads.
According to Zakeria Shnizai, an earthquake geologist with the University of Oxford, “in Afghanistan, flooding has severely hampered rescue operations by blocking roads, destroying bridges, and isolating communities in the earthquake-affected area.”
“These difficulties have made it very difficult for emergency personnel to reach people who have been hurt or trapped under debris.” According to Shnizai, the use of heavy equipment has been restricted, and there is now a greater risk of landslides or rock avalanches.
He added that the delivery of essential supplies like food, water, and medical supplies has also become more difficult, leading to longer response times.
According to research, seasonal rains and weather conditions can increase earthquake-induced vulnerabilities by causing landslides, causing damage to access points, and causing communication disruptions, according to Abdullah Ansari, a research professor at Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat, Oman.
“In the present case, floodwaters have obstructed important transportation corridors, stifling the flow of aid and putting down rescue teams. The interaction of seismic and hydrological hazards underscores Afghanistan’s need for multihazard preparedness measures to improve resilience.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by rocky terrain and debris from the earthquakes, in addition to the flash floods. The roads are not paved, they say. It’s very challenging to go there right now because of the earthquake, according to Al Jazeera’s Mohsin Momand from Kabul.
Evacuations and risk mitigation are impeded by limited resources, poor infrastructure, and a lack of comprehensive early warning systems, Ansari continued.
Are earthquakes common in Afghanistan?
The collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which causes frequent moderate to strong earthquakes, makes Afghanistan one of Central Asia’s most seismically active regions.
In Pakistan and Afghanistan recently, there has been seismic activity.
On August 27 and 19, respectively, magnitude 5. 6 and magnitude 5. 2 tremors struck Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region. On June 29, a magnitude 5. 5 earthquake in Central Pakistan was recorded, and on May 10 a magnitude 5. 7 quake was also recorded.
More than 2, 000 people were killed when an earthquake of magnitude 6.3 6.3 hit Afghanistan’s western province of Herat in 2023. Eastern Afghanistan’s Paktika, Paktia, Khost, and Nangarhar provinces were struck by a magnitude 6 earthquake in June 2022.
According to Shnizai, “the country and its surrounding regions are frequently characterized by significant crustal stress, which causes numerous faults and frequent seismic activity,” as a result of the plates’ ongoing convergence.
The Hindu Kush region’s Chaman, Herat, Kunar, Panjshir, Sarobi, and Spin Ghar faults are among the major fault systems that traverse the nation.
What is the most recent tidbit of information?
According to the Ministry of Public Works, the highway connecting Jalalabad to Kunar, which is at the center of the deadly earthquake, has been reopened for traffic.
According to ministry spokesman Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, many Kunar roads are still inaccessible as first responders work to clear rubble.
Source: Aljazeera
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