SURVIVORS of the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck western Afghanistan on Saturday amid the rubble of demolished villages as the death toll nears 3,000.
People in the regional capital of Herat City preferred to sleep in public parks and streets for fear of more tremors after the US Geological Survey reported quakes of magnitude 5.9, 4.9, and 4.7 in rural areas on Monday.
The 6.3-magnitude quake hit Zindajan, a rural district some 40 kilometers away from Herat City, where “100% of homes were almost wiped out, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The deadly quake was followed by eight strong aftershocks– destroying homes and sending panicked residents to the streets.
Officials fear that the death toll could be much higher.
Nearly 10,000 people were injured and the death toll is expected to rise.
Desperate villagers used shovels and bare hands to search for hundreds of people missing under the rubble.
Blocked roads and disrupted communication lines caused the delivery of the aid to get delayed.
The UAE also sent 38 tons of medical aid and food supplies to families in Afghanistan affected by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake in March.
