Devastation in Afghanistan: More than 1,400 killed, 3124 injured in earthquake

Devastation in Afghanistan: The earthquake that struck late Sunday night has caused great devastation in Afghanistan in which many villages have been destroyed. Ghaziabad, a village in Kunar province, has been wiped completely out. While many people are still buried under the debris.

Why earthquakes occur frequently in Afghanistan

Afghanistan lies in one of the Earth's most active seismic regions, where the Hindu Kush mountain range is the epicentre of both shallow and deep earthquakes. The region is highly active because it lies between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. As a result, the Pamir-Hindu Kush region of northern Afghanistan experiences intense earthquakes, reaching depths of up to 200 km (124 mi) - a rare occurrence globally.

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In contrast, near the Suleiman mountain range (western Pakistan and southeastern Afghanistan) and the Main Pamir Thrust, earthquakes are typically shallow and destructive, occurring close to the surface where they cause the most damage.

Most damage in Kunar

Kunar province has been the worst hit by this earthquake. The hospitals here are so crowded that the injured are being treated by laying them on the ground. Several people have been buried collectively because the families have neither the resources nor the time to rescue them. Locals said that many children who have been rendered homeless are spending the night under the open sky. Tremors of the earthquake were also felt in neighboring provinces like Nangarhar, Laghman and Nuristan and some deaths and injuries have been reported there too. At the same time, this earthquake has caused economic loss in Panjshir province but no one has been reported dead.

Tremors felt across the border till Pakistan

The tremors of the earthquake were felt till Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Along with this, earthquake tremors were also recorded in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area. This proved how high the intensity of the earthquake was and how widespread its impact was.

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Challenges in relief work

Reaching remote areas has become the biggest challenge. The Taliban government is short of resources and the wounded are being evacuated by helicopters from areas where roads have been destroyed.

Summary

Local and international humanitarian organisations have vowed to deliver aid immediately. Relief camps are being set up but thousands of people are still struggling with a shortage of food, water and medicines.