Twin earthquakes in western Afghanistan kill at the least 22

Two earthquakes rattled Afghanistan’s western Badghis province alongside the border with Turkmenistan on Monday afternoon, killing at the least 22 folks, an area official stated.
There had been fears the loss of life toll may rise additional as the primary rescuers reached among the distant villages struck by the temblors in what’s certainly one of Afghanistan’s most impoverished and underdeveloped areas.
Bas Mohammad Sarwari, chief of the province’s tradition and data division, stated scores of properties had been destroyed within the quakes.

The US Geological Survey registered a magnitude 5.3 quake at 2 pm and a second, magnitude 4.9 at 4 pm native time. They struck 41 kilometers east and 50 kilometers southeast of Qala-e-Naw, the provincial capital.
Sarwari says frightened residents had been fleeing their properties for security.
The extra highly effective of the temblors hit Qadis district within the southern tip of the province, the place nearly all of the harm and deaths occurred, in response to Sarwari.
Officials had been nonetheless gathering data. By dusk solely 4 villages had been heard from, he stated. The first 4.9 quake was centered in Muqur district, he stated.

“Tomorrow we have plan to send rescue teams as well as assistance for the affected families,” he stated.
Sarwari stated the tremors had been felt throughout the province. Some properties in Qala-e-Naw, the provincial capital, suffered cracks however no main accidents or widespread harm, he added.