What made the Afghanistan quakes so lethal?

6 reasons the quakes are claiming lives

As families in Canada prepared for back-to-school season, two deadly earthquakes rocked Afghanistan. By September 2, Taliban health authorities noted that more than 1,400 people had died. Still more were injured, many trapped in collapsed buildings.

These earthquakes were relatively mild—6.0 and 5.5 on the Richter scale. Canada has experienced stronger earthquakes with far less human impact. So, why are the quakes in Afghanistan claiming so many lives?

Here are six reasons:

1.Time of day

The first Afghanistan earthquake happened at nearly midnight local time, when people were asleep indoors. A daytime tremor would have placed them “out and about”, in less danger from falling buildings.

2. Land not ocean

The earthquakes occurred beneath an inhabited part of a continent—not under the ocean or north of the Arctic Circle, like Canada has mainly experienced. Offshore earthquakes strong enough to cause tsunamis tend to affect people closer to the shore.

3. Shallow quake

The tremors began less than 10 kilometres below people’s homes, meaning Afghans experienced strong shaking and multiple aftershocks. This contrasts with the deepest quakes on record, starting 700 kilometres below ground and almost imperceptible to people on the surface.

4. Mountainous terrain

Landslides caused by the earthquake blocked off some key roads, preventing rescue teams from getting there. By September 2, the authorities had deployed aircraft and paramedic support, in coordination with the World Health Organization.

5. Limited care for survivors

Many earthquake survivors are gravely injured. But even at the best of times, health clinics in remote Afghan communities are spread far apart. Finding urgent care for life-threatening injuries was a challenge even before the earthquake made it even harder.

6. Makeshift construction

The earthquakes are affecting people living far from city centres. Construction processes here typically lack engineering knowledge or building codes. Makeshift houses of earth and stone can’t handle the strong, side-to-side shaking caused by a quake.

World Vision already works in parts of Afghanistan and are monitoring the situation closely. Please check our website for updates. In the meantime, will you join us in prayer for the children and families affected by these horrific events?

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