6.3-magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan days after devastating weekend quakes

Posted By: Ashley Smith
October 11, 2023 @ 6:23 am
Local News

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(NEW YORK) — A 6.3-magnitude earthquake has shaken Western Afghanistan, just days after two quakes of the same magnitude left more than 1,200 dead.

The quake struck 28 kilometers (17.39 miles) Northwest of Herāt, Afghanistan, according to the United States Geological Survey, which monitors worldwide earthquakes.

No details were immediately available on the impact of the quake, which struck at 12:41 a.m. UTC Wednesday.

It was followed by a 5.0-magnitude quake in the same general area a few minutes later. A 4.1 hit Chahār Burj, which is located southeast of Herāt, according to the USGS data.

The death toll from the strong earthquakes that shook western Afghanistan over the weekend rose to at least 1,294 on Sunday, with more than 1,600 injured, according to the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Health Organization.