Afghanistan’s disaster management authority fears hundreds of people could be dead after several strong earthquakes shook the country’s border region near Iran.

Seven villages in the hard-hit border province of Herat have been completely destroyed, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) told the DPA news agency.

“Some villages had up to 1000 or more people living in them. There were 300 houses. Only 100 people survived,” the spokesman said.

However, only 15 deaths have been officially confirmed so far.

Many residents are believed to be buried under rubble.

According to the spokesman of the ruling Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, military and rescue organisations have been called to the affected regions.

Hospitals are preparing for countless injured.

According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre of the eight quakes ranging from 4.6 to 6.3 in magnitude was in the Zindah Jan district of Herat province and struck at a depth of about 10km.

The Taliban urged local organisations to reach earthquake-hit areas as soon as possible to help take the injured to hospital, provide shelter for the homeless and deliver food to survivors.

They said security agencies should use all their resources and facilities to rescue people trapped under debris.

“We ask our wealthy compatriots to give any possible co-operation and help to our afflicted brothers,” the Taliban said on social media platform X.

In June 2022, a powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan, flattening stone and mud-brick homes.

The quake was Afghanistan’s deadliest in two decades, killing at least 1000 people and injuring about 1500.

—AAP with AP