Strong earthquake and several aftershocks reported in western Afghanistan

Islamabad: Two 6.3 magnitude earthquakes have killed at least 15 and injured nearly 40 others in Herat province in Afghanistan, according to Mohammad Abdullah Jan, spokesman for the country's national disaster authority.

At least five powerful earthquakes struck the city around noon, Herat city resident Abdul Shakor Samadi said. The United States Geological Survey reported a pair of 6.3 magnitude earthquakes hit western Afghanistan Saturday. The epicentre was 40 kilometres (24.8 miles) northwest of the city of Herat and was followed by an aftershock with a 5.5 magnitude, the USGS reported.

A map posted on the USGS website indicates seven earthquakes in the region, including a magnitude 5.9 earthquake 35 kilometres (21.7 miles) north-northwest of Herat, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake 33 kilometres (20.5 miles) north-northeast of Zindah Jan and another 6.3 magnitude earthquake 29 kilometres (18 miles) north-northeast Zindah Jan, which is about 43 kilometres (26 miles) west of Herat city. “All people are out of their homes," Samadi said. “Houses, offices and shops are all empty and there are fears of more earthquakes.”

“Me and my family were inside our home, I felt the quake," Samadi said, adding that his family began shouting and ran outside and are afraid to go back in. There was no immediate comment from Taliban government officials on possible casualties or damage. Telephone connections were down, causing difficulties in obtaining precise details from the impacted areas.

Social media videos showed hundreds of people in the streets outside their homes and offices in Herat city. Heart province borders Iran. The quake also was felt in the nearby provinces of Farah and Badghis, according to local media reports. In June 2022, a powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan, flattening stone and mud-brick homes. The quake was Afghanistan's deadliest in two decades, killing at least 1,000 people and injuring about 1,500.