Twenty-five-year-old Hakima walks through her destroyed village with her two children — including her 6-month-old daughter, Nasifa — in Chahak, Injil District, western Afghanistan. According to Hakima: “When the earthquake happened, I was in the city with my husband visiting family. I returned to my village that same night. I couldn’t believe it. It’s so strange and stressful. There was so much dust and we couldn’t find anything. I’m so concerned for Nasifa. We slept rough for two nights with no tents — it was terrible. I have nothing to give Nasifa — it’s a disaster zone here."
In the course of a little over a week, Afghanistan has been hit by at least three major earthquakes and their aftershocks, leaving thousands dead, reducing entire villages to rubble and leaving many panicked survivors unsure of where to go for help.
The death toll is estimated to be as high as 2,000, with some estimates saying the vast majority of victims are women and children.
Thirteen-year-old Unse digs for pots of flour buried under what was his kitchen in San Job village, Zidan Jan District, western Afghanistan.
Twenty-five-year-old Hakima sits in her destroyed village with her her 6 month old daughter, Nasifa in Chahak, Injil District, western Afghanistan.
The first earthquake
The first major earthquake hit 25 miles northwest of Herat city, in Herat province on October 7. The province is one of the most populated in Afghanistan.
That earthquake was followed by several very strong aftershocks, as well as less severe shocks.
The death toll could not be independently verified by between Taliban officials and non-profits but it's estimated that as many as 2,000 people could have been killed.
"When the first earthquake hit, people thought it was an explosion, and they ran into their homes,” said Siddig Ibrahim, the chief of the UNICEF field office in Herat.
Five-year-old Ayshah in Koshkak village, Zinda Jan District, western Afghanistan
Thirteen-year-old Unse digs for pots of flour buried under what was his kitchen in San Job village, Zidan Jan District, western Afghanistan.
Another string of earthquakes
The region was hit with another 6.3-magnitude earthquake just four days after the first one. And four days after that, the region was hit with a third powerful temblor.
By that point, many people were already staying in tents outdoors after their homes were reduced to rubble.
Non-profit organizers in the region said residents in the area were still reeling from the devastation from one quake when the next hit.
"The situation is very critical," Doctors without Border's Afghanistan program head Yahya Kalilah told Agence France-Presse. "In terms of psychology, people are panicked and traumatized. People are not feeling safe. I will assure you 100%, no one will sleep in their house."
An injured Afghan person being brought to a hospital following earthquake in Herat on October 15, 2023. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake shook western Afghanistan on October 15, killing one and injuring dozens more in the same region where more than 1,000 people died in tremors last week.
An Afghan man stands in the ruins of a house destroyed by the earthquake.. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake killed two people in western Afghanistan on October 14, resulting in damaged prisons being emptied and residents fleeing a region where tremors have claimed at least 1,000 lives over the past week.
A general view shows debris of houses that were damaged in a series of earthquakes, in Injil district of Herat province on October 15, 2023. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake killed two people in western Afghanistan on October 15, with damaged prisons emptied and residents fleeing a region where tremors have claimed at least 1,000 lives this past week.
Thirteen-year-old Abdul (sitting in middle in brown shalwar kameez) sits with two friends as they look over his destroyed house in Karnil Wardaka village, Zinda Jan District, western Afghanistan.
Non-profit organizations such as UNICEF are in the region to provide humanitarian aid. The agency has launched a $20 million appeal to fund a three-month response to help 96,000 children who've been impacted by these earthquakes.
“Even before the earthquake, these communities were already suffering the effects of conflict and insecurity, migration, drought, displacement, and poverty,” Rushnan Murtaza, acting UNICEF representative in Afghanistan, said in a statement. “These deprivations have now collided, creating an unprecedented humanitarian emergency for children. UNICEF and our partners have been on the ground since day one, providing life-saving assistance for children, but we need additional support to bring children the healthcare, protection, and clean water they desperately need.”
Images of the aftermath show children sleeping in tents outdoors and attempting to clean up the rubble around them.
Three sisters and survivors of the recent earthquakes in western Afghanistan.
A donkey sits amid the debris of houses that were damaged in a series of earthquakes, in Injil district of Herat province on Oct. 15, 2023. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake killed two people in western Afghanistan on Oct. 15, 2023, with damaged prisons emptied and residents fleeing a region where tremors have claimed at least 1,000 lives this past week.
Ten-year-old Sefafullah (middle) unpacks winter clothing, provided by UNICEF, with his uncle in Koshkak village, Zinda Jan District, western Afghanistan. UNICEF has provided warm winter clothing to 3,500 people in Zinda Jan District - half of them children. According to Sefafullah: “I was walking on the road near my house when the earthquake suddenly happened. My five year old brother was, though, collecting water at our neighbours house and died as the roof collapsed. I have lost all hope. All our possessions were destroyed. I'm so fearful of the coming winter and the snowfall.”
A boy walks past a damaged building in Chahak village, Injil District, western Afghanistan.
Six-year-old Marzwa (right) sits with her sister, Elina, in the remains of her house wearing a red dress - one of her few possessions that was not buried under the earthquake in Karnil Wardaka village, Zinda Jan District, western Afghanistan.
Six-year-old Marzwa (left) walks with her sister, Elina, in the remains of her village wearing a red dress - one of her few possessions that was not buried under the earthquake in Karnil Wardaka village, Zinda Jan District, western Afghanistan.
A UNICEF-supported temporary health clinic (in background) erected following the destruction of the health centre (visible in foreground) in Karnil Wardaka village, Zinda Jan District, western Afghanistan. More than one third of health facilities have been damaged or destroyed leaving nearly 600,000 people without healthcare.
Fahim Radmanish, UNICEF Afghanistan Emergency Officer, carries winter clothing and household supplies (including cooking equipment) for 12-year-old Ahmad in Koshkak village, Zinda Jan District, western Afghanistan. With more than 3,000 homes destroyed, many families now live in tents and are dependent on humanitarian aid.
Forty-year-old Azwazi photographs his destroyed village in Chahak, Injil District, western Afghanistan. According to Azwazi: “At the time, I was in Iran but came here two days ago. My brother couldn’t believe it when I told him what happened and I promised that I’d send him some photos. My whole extended family lived here - 40 houses in total…uncles, brothers, cousins. There is nothing left. It is like the whole of Afghanistan has come tumbling down."
A boy wheels his bike past the devastated remains of his village in western Afghanistan.
A general view shows debris of houses that were damaged in a series of earthquakes, in Injil district of Herat province on October 15, 2023. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake killed two people in western Afghanistan on October 15, with damaged prisons emptied and residents fleeing a region where tremors have claimed at least 1,000 lives this past week. (Photo by Mohsen KARIMI / AFP) (Photo by MOHSEN KARIMI/AFP via Getty Images) ORIG FILE ID: AFP_33YA8VH.jpg
Afghan children stand outside their makeshift tents in an earthquake affected area of Injil district in Herat province on Oct. 15, 2023. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake killed two people in western Afghanistan on Oct. 15, 2023, with damaged prisons emptied and residents fleeing a region where tremors have claimed at least 1,000 lives this past week.
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