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On October 7th, an earthquake in Afghanistan devastated multiple villages in the city of Herat, leading to hundreds of casualties. Landslides followed, destroying homes, schools, and health facilities. Barely a week later, on October 15th, another 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan, with the death toll reaching into the thousands. This tragically has marked the fourth earthquake of a 6.3 magnitude in Afghanistan in the past week. Unfortunately, these disasters have mostly affected women and children, making up to 90% of the casualties reported, as men were working outdoors during the day. 10th-grade student Ryan Parwiz, himself of Afghan heritage, reflected on the recent events: “The earthquakes are devastating and I am disheartened by all that has happened to the people of my culture. I hope all the innocent citizens fully recover, and the series of earthquakes comes to an end.” The ongoing earthquakes in Afghanistan have led many to question what can happen in California. In 2019, an earthquake of 7.1 magnitude occurred in Southern California near Ridgecrest. Although there were no reported casualties during that quake, earthquakes have increasingly become a concern in California, one that residents are well aware of due to the state’s long history of them. The future is unknown, and 9th-grade student Jaana Kazemi shared her thoughts on how “In the CdM community, my friends and I have discussed the many possibilities of what an earthquake can do to our local community. Especially where we live in California, earthquakes are very frequent and can happen at the most random times, such as waking me up at night. I remember being at the movie theater during the 2019 earthquake, feeling the entire shopping mall shake.” On a similar note, Parwiz also added, “I hope what is happening now in Afghanistan never happens in our local community. I hope all my peers are fully educated on earthquake safety procedures if a disaster ever occurs. With the frequent amount of earthquakes in California, I can only hope for the best.” As earthquakes continue to occur in California and around the world, residents must brace themselves for the worst, and be mindful of the power of nature.
Information contained in this article is from:
Associated Press “Another Powerful Earthquake Shakes Quake-Devastated Region in Western Afghanistan” Associated Press “Death Toll From Strong Earthquakes That Shook Western Afghanistan Rises to Over 2,000”
