Afghanistan Earthquakes Kill At Least 26

This article was contributed by Rionna Lee, Tan Yi Kai, Sara Kam & Hriya from 3E Full Geography 2022. 

TOPLINE

 

At least 26 people have been killed and hundreds of homes damaged or destroyed after two earthquakes hit a remote region in western Afghanistan Monday, according to local officials and multiple news reports, a death toll that could increase as rescue teams continue their search for survivors.   

Two earthquakes hit Afghanistan's remote Badghis region Monday (not pictured)

 AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

     KEY FACTS

The 4.9 and 5.3 magnitude earthquakes struck Afghanistan’s north-west province of Badghis near the Turkmen border, according to the U.S. Geological Society (USGS).

In total, 26 people were killed and between 700 and 1,000 homes were damaged in the quakes, though officials warned the death toll could climb as rescue teams comb through the debris. 

The quakes “caused massive damage to houses,” said provincial spokesman Baz Mohammad Sarwary.

KEY BACKGROUND 

The quakes are the latest in a string of disasters to hit Badghis, one of Afghanistan’s poorest regions, which is still reeling from years of conflict, the Taliban’s takeover in August and a freefalling economy. The remote region has suffered through years of drought—something exacerbated by climate change—and lacks an irrigation system, leaving many struggling for food after international funds, aid and supply networks froze after the Taliban seized power. Earthquakes are not infrequent in Afghanistan, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, and poorly built homes and buildings are at risk of significant damage if one hits. More than 300 were killed after a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck in 2015. 

BIG NUMBER

$5 billion. That’s how much money in aid the United Nations said it needed for Afghanistan in 2022 alone, its largest ever humanitarian appeal. The majority of this—$4.4 billion—is needed within Afghanistan, the organization said, with the remainder to help those displaced outside its borders. 

This article was originally published on Forbes. Its inclusion on this website is solely for education purposes. 

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