2023 Herat earthquakes

Coordinates: 34°36′36″N 61°55′26″E / 34.610°N 61.924°E / 34.610; 61.924
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2023 Herat earthquakes
2023 Herat earthquakes is located in Afghanistan
2023 Herat earthquakes
UTC time2023-10-07 07:41:03
 2023-10-07 08:12:50
USGS-ANSSComCat
 ComCat
Local date7 October 2023
Local time11:11 AFT (UTC+4:30)
 11:42 AFT (UTC+4:30)
Magnitude6.3 Mw
 6.3 Mw
Depth14 km (8.7 mi)
 10.6 km (6.6 mi)
Epicenter34°36′36″N 61°55′26″E / 34.610°N 61.924°E / 34.610; 61.924
TypeThrust
Areas affectedAfghanistan, Iran
Max. intensityMMI VIII (Severe)
Casualties2,000 dead, >9,201 injured

Two earthquakes, both with a magnitude of 6.3, struck Herat Province of Afghanistan on 7 October 2023. The first earthquake struck at 11:11 AFT followed by the second shock 31 minutes later.[1][2] These earthquakes left at least 2,000 people dead and 1,000 others injured. One injury and minor damage also occurred in Iran. The earthquake was Afghanistan's deadliest since 2022.[3]

Tectonic setting

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 period. 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]

Earthquake

The first event, with a magnitude of 6.3, struck at 11:11 AFT (06:41 UTC).[1] A magnitude 5.5 aftershock hit eight minutes later.[6] Another magnitude 6.3 event hit at 11:42 AFT (07:12 UTC),[2] followed by another magnitude 5.9 aftershock.[7] Both events and the Mw 5.9 aftershock had a Modified Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe).[1][2][7]

The United States Geological Survey said these earthquakes were the result of shallow thrust faulting. The fault plane solution indicate a rupture source striking east–west with a north or south dip.[1]

Impact

According to a Taliban spokesperson, there were 2,000 fatalities.[8] The Afghan Red Crescent Society reported at least 500 deaths.[9] More than 9,200 people were injured.[10]

Over 1,328 houses were damaged or destroyed.[10] An official representing the National Disaster Management Authority said in several villages with populations of 1,000, the number of houses could be 300 and that only 100 remained intact.[11] In total, 12 villages near the epicenter were destroyed, including four in the Zinda Jan District.[12] Telephone communications were also lost.[13] Entire families, including some with 30 members, were reportedly trapped under the rubble.[14] Collapsed houses and injuries were also reported in the neighbouring provinces of Badghis and Farah.[15][16] Landslides were reported.[17]

In Iran, one person in Torbat-e Jam was injured[18] and minor damage to houses occurred in Taybad.[19]

Aftermath

Residents and shopkeepers evacuated buildings when the earthquakes hit.[20] The World Health Organization dispatched 12 ambulances to Zinda Jan District to transport casualties to hospitals.[21]

The Taliban's deputy prime minister for economic affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar, expressed his condolences to the victims of the earthquake. The Taliban also launched an appeal for aid.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d National Earthquake Information Center (7 October 2023). "M 6.3 – 35 km NNE of Zindah Jān, Afghanistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c National Earthquake Information Center (7 October 2023). "M 6.3 – 26 km NNE of Zindah Jān, Afghanistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Two 6.3 magnitude earthquakes kill at least 15 and injure nearly 40 others in western Afghanistan". Associated Press. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  4. ^ Wheeler, R.L.; Rukstales, K.S. (2007). "Seismotectonic Map of Afghanistan and Adjacent Areas" (PDF). Open File Report 2007-1104. United States Geological Survey. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-21. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  5. ^ Shroder, J.F.; Eqrar, N.; Waizy, H.; Ahmadi, H.; Weihs, B.J. (2021). "Review of the Geology of Afghanistan and its water resources" (PDF). International Geology Review. 64 (7): 1009–1031. doi:10.1080/00206814.2021.1904297. S2CID 236589221. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-06-23. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  6. ^ National Earthquake Information Center (7 October 2023). "M 5.5 – 29 km NE of Zindah Jān, Afghanistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  7. ^ a b National Earthquake Information Center (7 October 2023). "M 5.9 – 35 km NNW of Herāt, Afghanistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Death toll from strong earthquakes that shook western Afghanistan rises to 2,000". Associated Press. 8 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Afghanistan earthquake death toll at 500 – Red Crescent". The Business Standard. Reuters. 8 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  10. ^ a b "افغانستان: شمار جان باخته‌های زلزله به ۲۰۰۰ تن افزایش یافت" [Afghanistan: The death toll from the earthquake increased to 2,000]. Radio Azadi. 8 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Hundreds Feared Dead In Powerful Earthquakes In Afghanistan's Herat Region". Radio Free Europe. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  12. ^ Hasrat, Ahmed Sohaib; Barz, Binyamin (7 October 2023). "زلزله در هرات؛ ۱۲ قریه ویران و صدها تن کشته و زخمی شده اند" [Earthquake in Herat; 12 villages were destroyed and hundreds of people were killed and injured] (in Persian). Pajhwok Afghan News. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Two 6.3 magnitude earthquakes kill at least 15 and injure nearly 40 others in western Afghanistan". Associated Press. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  14. ^ Kaveh, Amin (8 October 2023). "زلزله فاجعه‌بار هرات؛ هزاران تن کشته، زخمی یا ناپدید شده‌اند" [Herat's catastrophic earthquake; Thousands of people have been killed, injured or disappeared] (in Persian). 8 Sobh Daily. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  15. ^ "زلزله شدیدی ولایات بادغیس و هرات افغانستان را لرزاند" (in Persian). Anadolu Agency. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  16. ^ "Several Strong Earthquakes Shake Western Region of Country". TOLOnews. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Several killed, dozens injured as magnitude 6.3 quake hits western Afghanistan". France 24. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  18. ^ "یکی از شهروندان تربت جام دچار تروما و مصدومیت شد" [One of the citizens of Torbat Jam was traumatized and injured] (in Persian). ILNA. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  19. ^ "زلزله در تایباد خسارت عمده‌ای نداشت" [The earthquake did not cause major damage in Taybad] (in Persian). Young Journalist's Club. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  20. ^ "Magnitude 6.2 earthquake jolts western Afghanistan: USGS". AFP. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023 – via The New Indian Express.
  21. ^ "Powerful earthquake kills more than 100 people in western Afghanistan". Aljazeera. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  22. ^ "100 killed, 500 injured as magnitude 6.3 quakes hit western Afghanistan". France 24. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
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