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A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan, causing thousands of deaths and flattened villages a week earlier.
The latest quake, centered about 30 kilometers outside Herat, the capital of Herat province, is the fourth measured at 6.3 magnitude in the same area in just over a week.
The aid group Save the Children reported four deaths and 153 injuries, while the Baloch area of Rabat Sangi district collapsed, destroying several villages.
Authorities have provided lower casualty numbers, but the group urges assistance in any way possible. The initial earthquakes on October 7 flattened entire villages in Herat.
Earthquakes in Afghanistan have killed over 2,000 people, with over 90% of the casualties being women and children. The earthquakes struck during the day, with many men working outdoors.
The epicenter was Zenda Jan district, where most casualties and damage occurred. The initial quake, numerous aftershocks, and a third 6.3-magnitude quake flattened villages, destroying hundreds of mud-brick homes and schools, health clinics, and other facilities.
Survivors are struggling to come to terms with the loss of multiple family members, and living residents are often outnumbered by volunteers searching debris and digging mass graves. Earthquakes are common in Afghanistan due to fault lines and frequent movement among nearby tectonic plates.
