Powerful Earthquake Strikes Western Afghanistan, Leaving Widespread Destruction and Thousands Affected
Place: Afghanistan
Date: November 18, 2025
(Last update 11/19/2025 10:00:34 AM ) Prepared
Event description
A powerful earthquake measuring between 6.2 and 6.5 struck Herat province in early October 2025, followed by several strong aftershocks. Entire mud-built villages in Zindajan, Injil, and Ghurian collapsed, with initial estimates reporting 1,200–1,500 deaths and more than 2,000 injuries. Around 25 villages were severely affected, and approximately 2,000–3,500 homes were completely destroyed.Humanitarian conditions
Humanitarian conditions deteriorated rapidly, with 12,000–15,000 people affected and thousands displaced to makeshift camps lacking basic services. Severe shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies were reported, while several health facilities were rendered non-operational, raising concerns about disease outbreaks.Security situation
The earthquake further destabilized the security environment, with landslides and road blockages preventing police and emergency teams from reaching affected areas. Limited unrest was reported due to delays in aid delivery, especially in remote villages. However, no major armed incidents were recorded, and security forces focused mainly on evacuation and crowd management.
Organizations' response
Humanitarian organizations launched rapid response operations, distributing tents, food supplies, and essential medical kits. Rescue teams were deployed to remote villages despite access challenges. Emergency assistance reached around 10,000 people, though needs continue to rise due to the scale of destruction.
Recommendations
Relief Center recommends ensuring immediate delivery of humanitarian assistance to the most affected villages, including food, water, and essential medical supplies.
It calls for establishing safe temporary shelters for displaced families, prioritizing children, women, and the elderly.
The Center emphasizes opening safe access routes for rescue teams and facilitating their entry into isolated areas affected by landslides and road blockages.
It recommends supporting damaged health facilities by deploying mobile medical units to compensate for non-operational hospitals.
It urges rapid assessments of infrastructure damage, including water networks and roads, to enable direct relief efforts.
The Center highlights the importance of strengthening coordination between government authorities and humanitarian actors for a more effective response, especially in remote areas.
It stresses the need to monitor health risks and prevent disease outbreaks through urgent medical outreach campaigns.
