KABUL, Afghanistan — A powerful earthquake struck western Afghanistan early Wednesday, killing eight members of a single family and leaving a young boy as the sole survivor, according to local officials and relief agencies. The tremor, measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale, collapsed the family’s home in the remote village of Zinda Jan, Herat Province.
The boy, identified as 7-year-old Ahmad, was pulled from the rubble with minor injuries and is now under medical care, sources at Herat Regional Hospital confirmed. “He is traumatized but stable,” said a doctor who requested anonymity due to hospital policy.
Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority reported that the quake affected at least three villages, with Zinda Jan suffering the most severe damage. Rescue efforts were hampered by poor infrastructure and aftershocks, officials said.
Earthquakes are frequent in Afghanistan due to its location along active tectonic fault lines. A 6.3-magnitude quake in October 2023 killed over 2,000 people in the same region, highlighting the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters amid limited emergency response capabilities.
Analysts warn that climate change may increase seismic risks in the region. “Melting glaciers and shifting groundwater patterns could destabilize geological formations,” said Dr. Farida Mohammadi, a Kabul-based geologist. The UN has allocated $3 million in emergency aid, but long-term infrastructure investment remains lacking.