An earthquake struck the state of Herat in western Afghanistan on Wednesday, days after a similarly powerful earthquake occurred in the same region, killing more than two thousand people. There were no reports of casualties as a result of the new earthquake.
The American Seismological Center and the German Research Center for Geological Sciences estimated the strength of the earthquake at about 6.3 on the Richter scale.
The American Center said that the earthquake occurred shortly after five in the morning local time, noting that its epicenter is about 29 kilometers north of the city of Herat.
For its part, the German Research Center stated that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers underground.
The new earthquake occurred while many residents of Herat were still sleeping in tents after last Saturday's earthquake destroyed their homes, which were mostly built of brick, according to local media.
Last Saturday, an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale occurred - followed by many aftershocks - 35 kilometers northwest of the city of Herat, which is inhabited by about half a million people, noting that the state’s population is approximately two million people.
The earthquake caused the deaths of between 2,000 and 2,500 people and destroyed 1,300 homes partially or completely. Local authorities in Herat described the human losses and damage as shocking. Local media, citing the Afghan Red Crescent, reported that about 12 villages in the Zinda Jan and Ghorian regions of Herat Province - inhabited by... 1.9 million people - completely destroyed.
Afghanistan is frequently exposed to earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range near the intersection of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
Source: Agencies
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