Afghanistan Experiences 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake
The world watched in shock as Afghanistan fell victim to yet another earthquake; this one more strikingly disastrous than its predecessors. On Saturday, October 7th, 2023, western Afghanistan was severely shaken by the arrival of a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. Hundreds of residential homes were destroyed and telephone lines collapsed as a result of the event, leaving countless citizens homeless and the majority of the nation with limited communication to convey vital information. The death toll continued to rise in the aftermath of the disaster, exceeding 1,200 casualties with nearly 1,500 injured individuals. Though not foreign to the devastation of an earthquake in any manner, Afghanistan carries the burden of Saturday’s events with a heavier heart, aware of the great extent to which it affected their nation.
Why is Afghanistan Particularly Susceptible to Earthquakes and Their Effects?
The primary cause for earthquakes, especially the devastating quakes all too familiar to Afghanistan, lies in the inconveniently aligned boundaries of several tectonic plates. Located at the crossroads of the Indian, Eurasian, and Arabian plates, the perpetual motion of the Earth’s surface provokes grinding along these fault lines and a drastic increase in pressure; a process that triggers potentially calamitous earthquakes in the Afghanistan region. Despite this blatant knowledge of Afghanistan’s susceptibility to high-magnitude earthquakes, few preventative measures are taken. The country’s infrastructure is not adequately constructed to resist the intense convulsing of an earthquake, subsequently resulting in mass destruction of Afghani architecture and a disproportionately amplified impact of the disaster on the population.
How Can the US provide aid?
Though we are unable to provide any compensation for the lost lives of the victims, the United States has the full ability to provide Afghanistan with economic funding to alleviate the physical damages of the earthquake. As Afghanistan’s sole request at this time is for more economically fortunate nations to share some of their wealth to repair the buildings and infrastructure of the region, it is our responsibility to provide this vital assistance. Our nation must recognize the hardships the Afghanistan people have experienced and how, as an economic superpower, we can realistically resolve a considerable portion of the issue. Regardless of the current state of diplomatic relations, a humane society must offer relief to suffering populations when feasible; otherwise, we abandon our connection as people.
