STORY: Afghanistan's Herat province in need of medical supplies following deadly quakes: minister
DATELINE: Oct. 11, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:14
LOCATION: HERAT, Afghanistan
CATEGORY: ECONOMY/SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the views in the hospitals
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Pashto): QALANDAR IBAD, Acting Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan
3. various of the aftermath of earthquakes
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Pashto): QALANDAR IBAD, Acting Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan

STORYLINE:

Afghan caretaker government's Acting Minister of Public Health Qalandar Ibad told Xinhua on Monday after visiting hospitals in quake-hit Herat province that there will be a need for medical supplies for people in the region.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Pashto): QALANDAR IBAD, Acting Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan
"If we look at the issue in the long term such as one month, two months, three months, or six months, we need medical equipment and medicines."

Two powerful earthquakes, each with a magnitude of 6.2, jolted west Afghanistan on Saturday, followed by several aftershocks.

The epicenters were in the Zindajan district of Herat province.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Pashto): QALANDAR IBAD, Acting Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan
"12 or 13 villages were utterly destroyed and those who survived the quake are living like IDPs (internally displaced people) in the city."

Thousands of people were killed and numerous others were left homeless after the quakes hit.

According to the minister, all the injured people have been receiving medical treatment, and all the branches and wards of hospitals have been providing medical service round the clock.

He added that the government would also provide humanitarian aid as well as shelter to quake-affected people in Herat.  
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Herat, Afghanistan.
(XHTV)