On March 22, at least 12 persons were murdered in Afghanistan and Pakistan as a result of a powerful earthquake that was felt over thousands of kilometers.
According to the US Geological Survey, the 6.5-magnitude earthquake was centered close to Jurm in northern Afghanistan, however the depth of 187 kilometers (116 miles) prevented significant damage.
The quake, which occurred on Tuesday at 09:30 Kabul time and lasted for more than 30 seconds, was felt nearly 2,000 kilometers away in New Delhi, India, in Central Asia.
Bilal Faizi, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s emergency Rescue 1122 service in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, told AFP that the earthquake was “strong” and that “we feared maximum damage owing to the intensity”—which is why the service had issued an alarm.
“But happily, our worries were unfounded. Despite the small amount of damage, the residents panicked owing to the earthquake’s size.
The Hindu Kush mountain range, which is located close to the meeting point of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, is particularly susceptible to earthquakes in the area.
A local from one village in Jurm district, close to the epicentre, stated there were no injuries despite the area.
When contacted by phone, Inamullah stated, “Our community has between 2,000 and 3,000 residents, and we all spent the night outside under the stars.”
We all experienced fear and remained awake all night.
Many terrified citizens of cities and towns in Afghanistan and Pakistan also evacuated their houses during times of panic in search of refuge outside of structures.
We spent the evening in our courtyard… Even though it was freezing outside, Neda Raihan, a 24-year-old student, said, “We chose to stay outside rather than go inside.”
An earthquake that occurred last month in portions of Syria and southern Turkey claimed the lives of over 55,000 people, inciting terror throughout the region.
“The youngsters began yelling that there was an earthquake. We all left quickly. We were greatly affected by the atrocities of the earthquake in Turkey and the surrounding nations, according to retired professor Ikhlaq Kazmi of Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
In Pakistan, officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, north of the capital, said nine people had died in the earthquake, including two women and two children. In Afghanistan, officials reported three dead and 44 injured, but phone and internet links to remote parts of the country had been severed and communication had been spotty.
