By Joseph Johns | Echo
An earthquake in northeastern Afghanistan killed more than 260 people on Monday Oct. 26, according to a report by the BBC. The New York Times reports that this earthquake added another layer to Afghani citizens' misery, adding to the constant violence between the Taliban, various militias and the United States since 2001.
The earthquake most likely originated in an isolated area near Jurm in the Badakhshan Province of northeast Afghanistan. It occurred at a mid-range depth of approximately 130 miles below the surface. This is significantly deeper than the recent Nepal quake, which was only 11 miles below the surface. The far-reaching nature of this earthquake caused the negative effects to be felt in multiple countries.
In a regional catastrophe like this, international aid can be made available to those in Pakistan and Afghanistan if their respective governments request assistance. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi contacted Pakistan and offered recovery assistance after the earthquake. Pakistan opted not to call on the international community, claiming that it has enough resources to handle the cleanup and victim recovery process, according to ABC.
Various third person parties have come to the aid of Afghan recovery efforts. For example, Google launched a person-finder app to help people find those that were reported missing after the quake. Even though it is a slow process, Afghanistan and Pakistan will continue to recover from this earthquake in hopes of benefiting the livelihood of its citizens.