Aid is slowly reaching Afghanistan s Herat province, where a series of earthquakes have killed over 2,000 people. Volunteers are helping in the search and rescue efforts, bringing food, tents, and blankets to the affected areas. However, the Taliban government s ban on women working for UN and NGO organizations has made assessing family needs difficult. The country is already facing a dire humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the withdrawal of foreign aid. Additionally, Herat province has been hit by a prolonged drought, further impacting the already vulnerable communities. Afghanistan is prone to earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range.
The Taliban administration said at least 2,400 people had been killed and many more injured in the quakes, which were among the world s deadliest this year after tremors in Turkey and Syria, in which an estimated 50,000 people were killed. Periodic aftershocks continued to shake the affected areas on Monday, officials said, forcing already scared people out of their homes.