Afghanistan: Over dozen killed as multiple earthquakes rock Herat

A disaster management official told the media that when several earthquakes slammed western Afghanistan on Saturday, at least 15 people were killed and 40 were injured. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.3 and that it was followed by aftershocks that struck 35 km (20 miles) northwest of the city of Herat. According to Mullah Jan Sayeq, a spokeswoman for the Afghan ministry of disaster management, the casualty totals are based on firsthand accounts from the Zinda Jan region of Herat province. The provinces of Farah and Badghis were also jolted by the earthquakes, he continued, where there have been reports of extensive home damage but no information on victims has yet been released. Erfanullah Sharafzoi, a spokesperson for the Afghan Red Crescent, told the media that volunteers and emergency teams are getting ready to travel to Herat to assist the casualties. (With agency inputs)