Afghanistan earthquake: Death toll climbs to 320 as several quakes of up to 6.3 magnitude batter western Afghanistan

A series of powerful earthquakes battered Afghanistan on Saturday killing and wounding hundreds. The strongest quake was recorded at 6.3 magnitude. Over 320 people died while around 600 others were left injured by the several quakes, according to the United Nations.

The quakes completely destroyed twelve villages in the Zinda Jan and Ghoryan districts of Herat province in western part of Afghanistan. Western Afghanistan was jolted by six earthquakes with the largest one of magnitude 6.3 and the latest on of magnitude 5.9 at a depth of 7.7 km in the "Zinda Jan district of Herat”, news agency ANI reported citing the US Geological Survey (USGS) data.

Local media reports said that nearby provinces of Farah and Badghis also felt the quake. The Saturday earthquake incident is the most devastating one for the country since the June 2022 quake in mountainous eastern Afghanistan that left over 1000 dead and and 1500 injured. 

Earthquake-prone Afghanistan lies near the convergence of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. Its Hindu Kush mountain range is particularly vulnerable to seismic shocks.

(Inputs from ANI)