Afghanistan is on the brink of another catastrophe

When a massive earthquake struck western Afghanistan on 7 October, thousands of mud houses collapsed, crushing and killing the people inside. Many of them were women, confined indoors by tradition, religion and Taliban edict, and their young children.

Over the weeks that followed, Herat province, which borders Iran, has been shaken by three more huge earthquakes, measuring magnitudes of 6.3, and multiple aftershocks almost as devastating. Like most of Afghanistan, the area is poor and facilities are few. People were digging bodies out of the rubble by hand for days. Entire villages have been flattened.

Aftershocks continue, so even in the provincial capital – also Herat – about 30 miles from the worst-affected region, residents are sleeping outside for fear their homes might fall in on them during the night. The weather is still warm, but winter will come fast.