2023 Herat earthquakes
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event
progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable.
The latest
updates to this article may
not reflect the most current information. ( October 2023) |
 A village destroyed by the earthquakes
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| | |
| UTC time | 2023-10-07 06:41:03 |
|---|---|
| 2023-10-07 07:12:50 | |
| 2023-10-11 00:41:56 | |
| ISC event | 635743371 |
| 635743376 | |
| 635746074 | |
| USGS- ANSS | ComCat |
| ComCat | |
| ComCat | |
| Local date | 7 October 2023 |
| 7 October 2023 | |
| 11 October 2023 | |
| Local time | 11:11 AFT ( UTC+4:30) |
| 11:42 AFT ( UTC+4:30) | |
| 05:11 AFT ( UTC+4:30) | |
| Magnitude | 6.3 M w |
| 6.3 M w | |
| 6.3 M w | |
| Depth | 14 km (8.7 mi) |
| 10.6 km (6.6 mi) | |
| 9.0 km (5.6 mi) | |
| Epicenter | 34.610�N 61.924�E |
| Type | Thrust |
| Areas affected |
|
| Max. intensity | VIII ( Severe) |
| Casualties |
|
Three large earthquakes measuring M ww 6.3 each and their aftershocks affected Herat Province in western Afghanistan in early October 2023. The first two earthquakes occurred on 7 October at 11:11 AFT and 11:42 AFT near the city of Herat, [1] [2] followed by many aftershocks. On 11 October, another magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the same area. [3] Thrust faulting was associated with these earthquakes. Between 1,000 and 1,294 people died, although the exact figure is unknown; 1,688 others were injured and 485 remain missing. A majority of the casualties occurred during the first two large earthquakes of 7 October, while the 11 October earthquake caused at least one death and 153 injuries.
Tectonic setting [ edit ]
Afghanistan is situated within the broad and complex zone of collision between the Arabian Plate, the Indian Plate, and the Eurasian Plate. The western part of the country is subdivided into the North Afghan Platform to the north and a series of accreted terranes to the south. [4] The North Afghan Platform has remained relatively tectonically stable since the Variscan Orogeny during the Late Palaeozoic, when it became part of Eurasia. To the south there is a collage of continental fragments and magmatic arcs that have been progressively accreted, particularly in the Mesozoic era. The boundary between these two crustal areas is the major right-lateral strike-slip Harirud (or Herat) Fault, which is far less seismically active than the Chaman Fault that runs through the east of the country. To the north of the Harirud Fault, the near parallel Band-e Turkestan Fault does show signs of recent activity, also in a right-lateral sense. [5]
The seismicity of Afghanistan is attributed to the complex and active tectonic interactions between the Arabian, Eurasian, and Indian plates. Within 250 km (160 mi) of the 7 October earthquakes epicenters, there have been seven magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes with epicenters in Iran. These include a M w/ 7.3 earthquake in May 1997 and a M w/ 7.1 earthquake in 1979. [1] In June 2022, eastern Afghanistan was affected by an earthquake that killed over 1,000 people. [6]
Earthquakes [ edit ]
The first event, with a magnitude of 6.3, struck at 11:11 AFT (06:41 UTC). [1] A magnitude 5.5 aftershock occurred eight minutes later. [7] Another magnitude 6.3 event struck at 11:42 AFT (07:12 UTC), [2] followed by a magnitude 5.9 aftershock. [8] Both events and the M ww/5.9 aftershock had a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of VIII ( Severe). [1] [2] [8] On 11 October, the third M ww/ 6.3 earthquake occurred within the same area. The United States Geological Survey said all three earthquakes were the result of shallow thrust faulting. The fault plane solution indicate a rupture source striking eastwest with a north or south dip. [3]
According to seismologists, these earthquakes had epicenters between the Siakhubulak Fault in the north and Herat Fault in the south. According to satellite data from Sentinel-1A, an area measuring 30 km (19 mi) by 15 km (9.3 mi) and extending eastwest around the location of these earthquakes was uplifted. Meanwhile the satellite detected subsidence in a small area east of the uplifted zone. The seismologists added that the ground deformation was diffuse and inferred the earthquakes were associated with a blind thrust fault. The fault responsible is likely a structure located between the Herat and Siakhubulak faults. [9]
Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology released two possible finite fault models for the second large earthquake. In both models, no slip occurred at the top depth of the model. The first model is a north-dipping, east-southeastwest-northwest striking thrust fault. The rupture mechanism was reverse-faulting with a small right-lateral component, initiating at a depth of 5.0 km (3.1 mi). In this model, the maximum slip was 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) at 4.8 km (3.0 mi) depth and immediately east of the hypocenter. Slip of 1 m (3 ft 3 in) or greater was observed east and west of the hypocenter although the largest slip (>2 m (6 ft 7 in)) was observed to the east. [10]
In the latter model, the fault dips to the south and strikes eastwest. The focal depth is inferred to be 5.8 km (3.6 mi); the zone of maximum slip is located east of the hypocenter, where it peaked at 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in). Overall, to the immediate east and west of the hypocenter, the slip was about 2 m (6 ft 7 in) although the larger values were observed further away. [10]
Impact [ edit ]
The United Nations reported 1,294 deaths as of 10 October [11] while Taliban officials said about 1,000 had died. [12] The Taliban revised the death toll on 11 October from the previous estimate of at least 2,700. [13] They added that confusion arose as rescue groups had counted twice and there was coordination issues. [14] The World Health Organization said 90 percent of the casualties were women and children who died in their homes when they collapsed. [15] At the time of the earthquakes, most men were outdoors, the organization added. [16] The Taliban also estimated 2,400 people were injured. [17] The United Nations recorded 1,688 wounded and 485 missing in villages across Zindajan District. [18]
The United Nations also estimated 11,585 individuals were affected by the earthquakes. [19] Among the villages affected were Mahal Wadakah, where 20 people died, Dasht Hows, Bahadorzai, and Zoryan. [20] Telephone communications were also lost. [21] In addition to the destruction in Herat Province, collapsed houses and injuries were also reported in the neighbouring provinces of Badghis and Farah. [22] [23]
Over 2,000 houses were destroyed across 20 villages. [18] Homes constructed of mud constituted the hardest-hit settlements; a resident of one of the affected areas said many homes collapsed during the first earthquake. [24] An official representing the National Disaster Management Authority said in several villages with populations of 1,000, only 100 out of an estimated 300 houses remained intact. [25]
Twelve villages in Zinda Jan District [26] and six in Ghorian District were destroyed. [27] The village of Nayeb Rafi was completely razed and nearly 80 percent of its population perished. [28] In Siah Aab, Zinda Jan District, 300 inhabitants perished. [29] In the Kushk District, more than 200 houses were damaged or destroyed to some extent. [30] Entire families, including some with 30 members, were reportedly trapped under the rubble. [31] In the village of Sarboland, dozens of houses were levelled and a resident said at least 30 people died. [32] Up to 170 people were reported to have died in the village of Kashkak. [33] Hundreds of people remained trapped beneath collapsed ruins, said a government official on 8 October. [6]
Medieval-era minarets in Herat also sustained damage. [34] Plaster from walls fell while parts of buildings collapsed in the city. [32] In Iran, one person in Torbat-e Jam was injured [35] and minor damage to houses occurred in Taybad. [36]
The 11 October earthquake killed one person and injured at least 153. [37] Many people were living outdoors because of damage to homes from the first two quakes when the third earthquake struck in the early morning. [38] The governor's office in Herat said several neighbouring districts that were badly affected by previous earthquakes had experienced "huge losses" following the 11 October shock. [39] This earthquake destroyed all 700 houses in Chahak, a village undamaged by the previous earthquakes. [40] The Herat Torghundi highway was blocked by a landslide. [41] In Herat, damage was limited; bricks from the Akhtaruddin Castle collapsed and parts of its walls fractured. Several minarets also collapsed. [42]
Search and rescue [ edit ]
The earthquakes occurred at a time when the region was struggling to cope with multiple crises such as displacement caused by decades of war, a years-long drought, and a huge reduction in foreign aid since the Taliban takeover in 2021. [33]
The World Health Organization dispatched 12 ambulances to Zinda Jan District to transport casualties to hospitals. [43] The United Nations dispatched four ambulances carrying doctors and psychosocial support counsellors to a hospital. The Associated Press reported on 9 October that three mobile health teams were expected to be in Zinda Jan District. Five medical tents designed to assist 80 patients were established by Doctors Without Borders at Herat Regional Hospital. Seven teams of the Afghan Red Crescent Society were involved in rescue efforts while more teams were expected to arrive from eight other provinces. A spokesman for the organization said people made homeless were residing at a temporary shelter. [6] The organization also provided tarpaulins, water storage containers, kitchen appliances, blankets and many other essentials. [44] UNICEF dispatched 10,000 hygiene kits, 5,000 family kits, 1,500 sets of winter clothes and blankets, 1,000 tarpaulins, and basic household items to the area. [45]
The national director of World Vision Afghanistan said on 9 October that "the situation is worse than we imagined", adding that people were still attempting to rescue those trapped under debris with their hands. [46] Communication outage and blocked roads hampered rescue missions. In affected villages, residents used shovels and their bare hands to retrieve survivors beneath the rubble. [24] An Afghan police spokesperson said on 8 October that the affected people required food and shelter. [26] Personnel from the military and nonprofit organizations such as the Red Crescent also participated in rescue missions. [6] The World Food Program said their workers were distributing food packages. Food packages were ready for 20,000 people; each package sufficient to sustain a family of seven for a month. The organization was also preparing to provide food support for up to 70,000 people. [47] Athlete Rashid Khan pledged his Cricket World Cup fees to help victims of the earthquake and announced that a fundraising campaign would be set up. [48]
The Taliban appealed publicly for aid. [49] At a news conference on 8 October, the Taliban said all international and internal organizations support was wanted. [50] A provincial health department official said over 200 bodies were transported to hospitals and many of the dead were women and children. The main hospital of Herat prepared for the large inflow of victims by lining-up beds outside. [34] At Herat Hospital, a health worker said vans carrying bodies were arriving every minute. Many health workers at the hospital were overwhelmed at the number of injured and the morgue had been overrun. [13] The Taliban governor's office in Kandahar said 10 teams including 37 doctors and nurses were sent to Herat Province. Kandahar's public health director said the teams were also transporting 2 tons of medicine. [44]
By 10 October, approximately 72 hours after the first two earthquakes, rescue efforts had subsided. [29] However rescue and relief teams were active again following the third earthquake on 11 October. Health teams transferred several of the wounded to a hospital. [39]
Aftermath and recovery [ edit ]
Mass funerals were held in the affected villages. [29] Three hundred people were given a mass funeral and burial in Siah Ab. [51] More than 35 rescue teams from military and nonprofit organizations had been deployed. [52]
About 2,100 displaced people fled to Herat. [20] Many hospitals in Herat became overwhelmed by patients. At the Herat Regional Hospital, there were support teams from M�decins Sans Fronti�res. Although most patients did not have life-threatening injuries, many remained at the hospital because their homes were uninhabitable. [53] Afghanistan was also entering the winter season while thousands of people remained homeless admist cold temperatures. Doctors Without Borders stated that more than 340 people were discharged from a hospital but refused to leave as they had no homes. [54] By 12 October, the World Health Organization had treated over 5,600 individuals; many were from Zendeh Jan District. [55]
Abdul Ghani Baradar, Afghanistan's Deputy Prime Minister of Economic Affairs, visited the affected area and met locals, officials and health workers. During the visit, he also announced the Taliban would construct new houses for surviviors. [56]