New earthquake in Afghanistan kills 1, injures dozens
A new earthquake struck western Afghanistan on Sunday morning, killing one person and injuring dozens, according to the German news agency DPA.
The quake struck the same region that was hit by a series of earthquakes last weekend, killing more than 2,400 people.
The death toll from the latest quake is currently at one, with 35 people injured. According to a local journalist, ambulances and private vehicles are still transporting the injured to hospitals.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which monitors seismic activity around the world, said the quake had a magnitude of 6.3 and struck at 3:36 a.m. GMT near the western city of Herat, near the epicentre of the October 7 earthquakes, at a depth of about 8 kilometres.
Aftershock of magnitude 5.5 struck the same area about 20 minutes later, at a depth of 12 kilometres.
On October 7, a series of earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.6 and 6.3 struck the region, occurring at a depth of about 10 kilometres. This series of earthquakes killed about 2,400 people and caused significant material damage, with at least 20 villages being flattened, according to Afghan government information.
The earthquakes were also felt in Iran, in the city of Mashhad, located 300 kilometres from the epicentre.
On Wednesday, another quake of magnitude 6.3 struck the same area, killing one person and injuring 153 people. Several other villages were destroyed in at least three districts of Herat province, according to DPA.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
