STORY: Rescue continues in Afghanistan's quake-hit village
DATELINE: Oct. 14, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:12
LOCATION: HERAT, Afghanistan
CATEGORY: OTHERS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Naib Rafi village of Zindajan District, west Afghanistan's Herat Province
2. SOUNDBITE (Dari): MULLAH MOHAMMAD ABBAS AKHUND, Acting Minister of Disaster Management, Afghanistan
3. various of donations of food and clothing
4. various of the Naib Rafi village of Zindajan District, west Afghanistan's Herat Province

STORYLINE:

At the Naib Rafi village of Zindajan District in west Afghanistan's Herat Province, the hardest-hit area in the deadly quakes on Oct. 7, piteous wails can be heard day and night, while rescue work has never stopped.

Afghan authorities said the death toll in the quake-affected western provinces, mainly in Herat, has surpassed 2,400.

Even though the 72-hour "golden window" for quake-related rescues has ended, rescue workers along with villagers are still striving for miracles under the rubble. 

Acting Minister of Disaster Management Mullah Mohammad Abbas Akhund told Xinhua in the village that rebuilding houses is in urgent need.

SOUNDBITE (Dari): MULLAH MOHAMMAD ABBAS AKHUND, Acting Minister of Disaster Management, Afghanistan
"Donations of food and clothing are temporary and people need a permanent life."

Villagers said it would take about two months to reconstruct an adobe house. So far, they are still living in tents beside the debris. However, strong night winds and the gradually colder weather have posed challenges to their lives.

Trucks loaded with relief supplies could be seen for dozens of kilometers on the way linking the village to Herat City. 

As of Friday, quakes were reported each day, with the strongest one registered at a magnitude of 6.3 on Wednesday.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Herat, Afghanistan.
(XHTV)