IRCS expresses solidarity with Afghanistan quake victims

TEHRAN, Nov. 04 (MNA) – Iran’s Red Crescent Society chief offered condolences to Afghanistan after the deadly 6.3-magnitude earthquake and announced readiness to deploy relief teams and humanitarian aid.

Pirhossein Kolivand, president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), sent a message to his Afghan counterpart expressing deep sympathy for the victims of the overnight earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan near Balkh and Samangan provinces.

Kolivand conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and the Afghan Red Crescent, noting that the quake caused casualties, hundreds of injuries, and infrastructure damage.

He affirmed the IRCS stands by Afghanistan “in these difficult moments” and is fully prepared to dispatch operational rescue teams, medical units, and humanitarian assistance to affected areas.

The total number of those affected as a result of an earthquake in north Afghanistan has climbed to 830, with 27 people killed.

According to the news outlet, the majority of casualties have been registered in the provinces of Balkh and Samangan.

Earlier, media outlets reported 20 fatalities and over 300 of those injured.

Overnight on November 3, a destructive earthquake rocked Afghanistan’s northern provinces, delivering substantial damage to buildings and infrastructure. According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter was 37 kilometers to the northwest of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif where about 523,000 reside. The hotspot was at a depth of 10 kilometers.