‘Our living conditions are bad’ – Fear of new tremors turns Herat’s Jami Masjid Mosque Park into refugee camp

« Hundreds of tents remained set up in front of Herat’s grand Jami Masjid Mosque on Monday. These tents are providing shelter for refugees who were affected by the earthquake that struck Afghanistan three days ago.
“Almost at the beginning of the earthquake, when the first earthquake happened, we took our wives out of our homes and lived in the (Kocha Bazar) but when the second earthquake happened, we decided to come here. We were here the first and second night of the earthquake. We were very afraid of the tremors of the earthquake, there was fear in everyone’s heart and mind, no one went back to their homes due to fear », said Shoib Ahmadi, one of refugees living at the site.
The Afghans are facing an even more challenging situation due to the ongoing threat of new earthquakes. This is preventing them from beginning the process of rebuilding what was destroyed and getting back to their normal lives.
« Our living conditions are bad. Before the earthquake, I was also working and used to earn 100 Afghanis a day, but now I can’t work », said Anisa, who was living with her three children and one grandchild in the mosque’s park since the first quake.
A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake and subsequent aftershocks struck Herat and its surrounding areas on Saturday which has claimed approximately 3,000 lives and left many others injured, causing rural homes to collapse and panic among city residents. Afghanistan was already grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis due to the withdrawal of foreign aid following the Taliban’s resurgence in 2021. »



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