HERAT, Afghanistan – A series of strong earthquakes shook the northwestern region of Afghanistan Saturday, killing more than 300 people, according to multiple reports, citing the United Nations.
The earthquakes also caused hundreds of injuries, said Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors without Borders.
The quakes occurred northwest of the town of Herat. The first quake, and one of the strongest, began just after 11 a.m. local time (2:30 a.m. ET) and registered a magnitude 6.3, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The USGS shows three strong aftershocks followed in rapid succession: a 5.5 eight minutes later, then another 6.3 23 minutes later, and a 5.9 just about an hour after the original quake.
DEADLIEST EARTHQUAKE KILLS AT LEAST 1,000 IN AFGHANISTAN
Images captured during the aftermath show buildings and entire villages turned to rubble.
A social media post by the relief group Afghan Red Crescent says they are sending teams toward the quake zone to help.