Deadliest Afghan quakes in 2 decades kill 2,445, injure 2,000

Saturday’s magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit a densely populated area, near Afghanistan’s fourth largest city, Herat. The US Geological Survey said the epicentre was about 40km northwest of Herat city.It was followed by three very strong aftershocks, measuring magnitude 6.3, 5.9 and 5.5, as well as lesser shocks.Janan Sayeeq, spokesman for the ministry of disasters, was quoted by Reuters as saying the toll had risen to 2,445 dead, but he revised down the number of injured to “more than 2,000”. Earlier, he had said 9,240 people were injured. He also said 1,320 houses had been damaged or destroyed.
On Sunday, men dug through rubble with their bare hands and shovels in desperate attempts to pull out the victims in Herat, clambering over rocks and debris. Survivors and victims were trapped under buildings that had crumbled to the ground, their faces grey with dust.