Report by Shuchi Giridhar
Afghanistan has been experiencing earthquakes for the past couple of weeks. They have caused great damage. The most recent one happened at around 0906 hours (9:06 am) India time on October 15th. Most of these quakes are between 10-50 kms beneath the surface.
As we can see in this screen grab from USGS, Afghanistan has experienced 6 quakes in the last 24 hours.
How long has this been going on for?
There was an earthquake on Saturday, 7th October. This was followed by a series of quakes. It caused great damage. The epicentre of the first major earthquake – October 11, was 40 km or 25 miles northwest of the provincial capital of Herat.
Why is Afghanistan experiencing a series of earthquakes?
Several rigid uneven plates or slabs of the earth make up the crust. These plates are called lithospheric plates. When these plates move, it causes changes on the earth’s surface. Sometimes sudden movements happen on the interior, which causes seismic waves that shake these plates causing earthquakes. In the Afghanistan region, there is a combination of the Arabian, Eurasia, and Indian plates. They go through active interactions which cause sudden movements frequently. This makes the region highly prone to earthquakes.
Afghanistan has, within the last 18 months, experienced earthquakes in March 2023, and June 2022.
What is being done for recovery?
Due to the Israel war, Afghanistan has not received much aid. The International Committee of the Red Cross is helping by providing healthcare and helping in sanitation along with the Afghan Red Crescent.
UNICEF is also aiding the country by distributing water and sanitation packets much needed for children.
The International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders, and CARE International are also helping the country in recovery.
Sanitation workers are working day and night to clear the rubble.
Images from USGS and Google.